o a vast array of
economic pundits watching
the unfolding
drama between
President Goodluck Jonathan and the suspended
CBN Governor, Sanusi
Lamido Sanusi, Mr. Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action was, indeed,
a time bomb wrapped
and planted, waiting to
explode.
As analysts particularly
put it, the CBN Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exit was, to say the
least, long overdue from
sometime in early January, when the president
was said to have asked
him to resign voluntarily
based on his (Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s)
`]Np][O`]]\OM_OYVXOP
_Wathan) on the purported
missing $49.8 billion from
the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC).
Sanusi had alleged,
VWO YVZO `]]\RO MYNMO MY]O _V`O
corporation had reneged
in paying into the Federation Account that
amount, thus running
foul of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exMNWMO `NdZO _WO wZ^N`O NW[O
monetary management
and due process.
Although the alleged
$49.8 billion was later to
be reduced to $10.8 billion by a reconciliatory
^_XXV]]O Z]MO gqO cjO MY]O
Coordinating
Minister
for the Economy and
Minister of Finance, Dr.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the
governor was later to tell
NO ]WNM]O _XXV]]O _WO
Finance, probing Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
allegation, that he had
further established that,
of yet another $67 billion
worth of crude shipped
by the NNPC between
January 2012 and July
2013, only $47 billion was
\]XV][O M_O MY]O ][]\Ntion Account.
He told the Senate, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I
am, therefore, compelled
to present to this committee detailed evidence that
NNPC has, in violation
of the law and the constitution, been diverting
money from the Federation Account, and involving itself in activities that
warrant full investigation
for more serious violations of the law.â&#x20AC;?
He
challenged
the
NNPC, given all issues
raised, to produce the
proof that the $20 billion
gW\]XV][O [V[O W_MO c]long to the federation or
was legally and constitutionally spent.
He further accused
NNPC of serious infractions in the handling of
kerosene subsidy, arguing that â&#x20AC;&#x153;based on National Bureau of Statistics
(NBS) data, kerosene is

All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Aspirant, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah (left), being
Gumi during his visit to the Islamic Cleric in Kaduna State...yesterday.

not a subsidized product, and therefore, the
so-called subsidy is rent
k]W]\NM][O b_\O MY]O c]W]wMO
of those in kerosene business.â&#x20AC;?
Revealing that the Federation Account was
made to lose $100 million
every month to the subsidy racket, he urged the
^_XXV]]O M_O VWZVZMO MYNMO
NNPC should provide
evidence of presidential authorisation to buy
kerosene at N150 per litre
and sell same at N40 per
litre, whereas the product
sells at between N170 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
N220 per litre in the open
market.
But reappearing in the
Senate February 13, 2014,
Sanusi met a stone wall in
his quest for the nailing
the NNPC. The Finance
Minister, Okonjo-Iweala,
YN[O M_`[O MY]O ^_XXV]]O
that, after careful examination of documents subXV][O cjO c_MYO qN\MV]ZO NMO
her earlier reconciliation
meeting, it was discovered that genuine interpretation of the documents went beyond the
^_XXV]]zZO
M]^YWV^N`O
competence and, therefore, a forensic interpretation was needed.
She said, not just the
expertise of the forensic auditors was needed,
but also legal interpretation of relevant law authorities, with particular
reference to the status
of Nigerian Petroleum
Development Company
(NPDC) as a third party
in the pay-out arrangements.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;At that meeting, NNPC
presented data of how
it utilized the balance
of $10.8 billion, namely:
amount withheld for
subsidy ($8.766 billion);
holding cost of strategic

reserve ($0.4599 billion);
crude oil and product
losses ($0.761 billion);
and pipeline management cost ($0.905 billion),
for a total of $10.89 billion.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The data presented
d]\]O N``O ^]\MVw][O cjO PRA as being accepted. We asked to see the
backup documentation to
]WNc`]O v]\Vw^NMV_WsO O g\O
judgment is that a proper
examination of these documents requires technical expertise beyond the
capacity of the reconciliation team and, therefore,
we believe we should
have an independent forensic audit, managed independently of these submissions,â&#x20AC;? she stressed.
While this controversy
was heating up, Sanusi
was yet to raise another
alarm over Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
^_WZVZM]WMO wZ^N`O M\]W[O _bO
woes, at the January 2014
Monetary Policy Meeting, in Abuja, noting that,
unless something drastic
was done, it had the potentials of spelling doom
for the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy.
In that alarm, he identiw][O MY]O p]jO ^_W^]\WZO NZĂ&#x20AC;O
unwholesome depletion
_bOwZ^N`Ocg*]\ZOb_``_dVWkO
the continuing decline in
oil revenue, rundown of
reserves and depletion of
excess crude oil savings;
falling portfolio and Foreign Direct Investments
PQO VWÂ?_dZĂ O dV[]Wing gap between the ofw^VN`O NW[O MY]O g\]NgO []O
Change exchange rates;
and creeping increase in
^_\]OVWÂ?NMV_Ws
WOMY]O[]q`]MV_WO_bOwZ^N`O cg*]\ZRO NWgZVO ZNV[O
MY]O_W]MN\jO_XXV]]O
had decried the continuous fall in revenue from
oil, despite its stable price
and production in 2013.

He stressed, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although
MY]O ^_XXV]]O N^pW_d`edged output losses due
to theft and vandalism,
this could not wholly explain the magnitude of
the shortfall in revenue,â&#x20AC;?
adding that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;as a consequence, accretion to external reserves remained
low while much of the
previous savings have
been depleted, thereby
undermining the ability of the Central Bank to
sustain exchange rate stability.â&#x20AC;?
Following this, he said
MY]O ^_XXV]]RO MY]\]b_\]RO
g\k][O MY]O wZ^N`O NgMY_\Vties to block revenue leakNk]ZO NW[O \]cgV`[O wZ^N`O
savings needed to sustain
^_Ww[]W^]O NW[O q\]Z]\v]O
the value of the naira.
On the falling portfolio,
Sanusi said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The MPC
also noted the reducMV_WO VWO q_\Mb_`V_O VWÂ?_dZO
driven by the commencement of the QE3 tapering
by the Federal Reserve,
transition concerns at the
CBN and continued depletion of the ECA, thus
dampening investor conw[]W^]sO
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The reduction of the
US stimulus, especially,
could in addition, trigger
^NqVMN`OÂ?_dO\]v]\ZN`ZONW[O
put greater pressure on
the naira exchange rate.â&#x20AC;?

]O ZNV[O MY]O ^_XXV]]O
was also alarmed over
the widening gap beMd]]WOMY]O_A^VN`ONW[OMY]O
Bureau de Change (BDC)
exchange rates, noting
that this could precipitate
speculation and roundtripping.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Though the BDCs represent a small component
of the foreign exchange
market, the widening
spread appeared to have
fed into creeping increas]ZO VWO ^_\]O VWÂ?NMV_WRO Y]O

b_\O k\]NM]\O ]A^V]W^jRO \]spect for due process and
accountability, President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has ordered the immediate suspension of
Mallam Sanusi Lamido
NWgZVO b\_XO MY]O _A^]O _bO
the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.â&#x20AC;?
Abati hinged the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action on reports
of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria
and other investigative
bodies, which, he said,
indicate that Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
tenure had been characterised by various acts of
wWNW^VN`O\]^p`]ZZW]ZZONW[O
misconduct.
Y]O wWNW^VN`O \]^p`]ZZness and misconduct, according to him, remain
inconsistent with the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision of a
Central Bank propelled
by the core values of fowelcomed by Sheikh Ahmad cused economic management, prudence, transqN\]W^jO NW[O wWNW^VN`O
emphasized.
But, as he was doing discipline.
Abati said the hand
what he thought was a
wholesome macro-eco- over to Dr. Sarah Alade,
nomic analysis, the au- the most senior Deputy
thority may not have tak- Governor of the CBN,
en that lightly, especially, was in acting capacity
his alarm over Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s until the conclusion of
^_WZVZM]WMO wZ^N`O M\]W[O on-going investigations
of woes. Thus, his time into breaches of enabling
bomb of removal was laws, due process and
ticking to a combustible mandate of the CBN by
Sanusi.
elasticity.
According to him, the
This continued until
sometime on January president expects that
6, when the president Alade will follow the adhad asked him to resign ministrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream of
honourably, alleging his a Central Bank and â&#x20AC;&#x153;fo(presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) inability to cus on its core mandate
continue to tolerate his through the conduct of its
N*NV\ZO dVMYO k\]NM]\O q\_endless controversies.
It was reported then fessionalism, prudence
that, Sanusi, being his and propriety to restore
]v]\O ^_Ww[]WMO Z]`bRO M_`[O domestic and internathe president that he MV_WN`O ^_Ww[]W^]O VWO MY]O
cannot just wake up and countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apex bank.â&#x20AC;?
He further quoted the
remove him without
recourse to laid-down president as having said,
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Federal Governrules.
According to him, it ment of Nigeria reassures
would only take two- all stakeholders in Nigethirds of the Senate to be \VNzZO wWNW^VN`O NW[O X_Wable to remove him, not etary system that this
decision has been taken
cjOq\]ZV[]WMVN`OwNMs
But announcing his in absolute good faith, in
suspension,
yesterday, the overall interest of the
the Special Adviser to Nigerian economy and in
the President on Me- accordance with our laws
dia and Publicity, Mr. and due process.â&#x20AC;?
But in a quick reaction
Reuben Abati, in a press
statement, said the CBN yesterday, Sanusi, had
Governor, whose tenure registered his intention to
was roundly dogged by challenge the legality of
controversy from the be- his suspension from ofginning to the end, was w^]RO M_O ]ZMNc`VZYO dY]MY]\O
given the boot based on President Jonathan has
N``]k][OwWNW^VN`O\]^p`]ZZ- the legal authority to take
ness and sheer disregard such decision.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has never been my
for due process in â&#x20AC;&#x153;most
of his dealingsâ&#x20AC;? at the desire to hold on to a job.
However, I believe if the
bank.
Although some Nige- CBN governor cannot be
rians are yet to come to \]X_v][Ob\_XO_A^]ROMY]WO
terms with the excuses he cannot be suspended.
given for his removal, He can be queried, but
Abati went on to say, the exercise of the arbiâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Being determined to trary decision to remove
urgently re-position the him must be challenged,â&#x20AC;?
Central Bank of Nigeria he said.

ano State Governor, Rabiu Musa
Kwankwaso
yesterday
in
Kano faulted the
suspension of the Governor
of the Central Bank (CBN),
Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, insisting that there was
an ulterior motive behind
the action.
Kwankwaso argued that
the suspension was a grand
design to dislodge Kanawa
b\_XO MY]O ]^_W_XV^O NW[O wnancial
decision-making
agencies of the Federal Government in order to further
impoverish and marginalize
the state.
Also in a statement, signed
by the Director of Press
and Public Relations to the
Governor, Halilu Ibrahim
Dantiye, Kwankwaso said
it was sheer disrespect to
the existing laws of the land
and demonstration of ingratitude that a person who
has brought about sweeping positive changes that
would have put the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
economy on the pedestal of
growth would be treated unfairly.
He said Sanusi should
rather be commended for
exposing the rot and corruption in the NNPC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A responsible government would
have promptly investigated
the allegations but they disappointingly refused to do
so,â&#x20AC;? Kwankwaso said.
While describing the sus-

ADEWALE AJAYI

A

ll Progressives Congress (APC) has said
Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suspension of Malam Sanusi
Lamido Sanusi as
Governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) by President Goodluck Jonathan was patently illegal,
poorly thought-out and in bad
taste, noting that it will have negative consequences for the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
economy.
The party in a statement issued
in Lagos on Thursday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the
action was the clearest indication
yet that President Jonathan, whose
body language does not abhor
corruption, is willing to silence
NWjOdYVZM`]Â&#x2C6;c`_d]\ROW_OXN]\OYVZO
or her status.
The party said as the country
wallows in unprecedented corruption under the rudderless and corruption-hugging Jonathan Administration, the President might have
wWN``jO []^V[][O M_O Z]W[O NO ZM\_WkO
signal to all Nigerians that it will
not tolerate any exposure of corruption under any circumstance.â&#x20AC;?
YNMOc]]\OdNjOM_O[_OMYVZOMYNWOM_O
silence the man who has exposed
the alleged missing 20 billion dollars in the NNPC accounts?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; it
queried.
APC said that Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suspension has also shown clearly that
President Jonathan as a leader
does not care if he destroys national institutions on the altar of personal ego and political expediency.
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;First it was the judiciary which
came under his sledge hammer,

9

reactions to Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suspension

It is illegal,insists Kwankwaso
pension as illegal, null and
void, Kwankwaso noted that
the CBN Act provides that
the removal of CBN Governor â&#x20AC;&#x153;shall be supported
by two-third majority of the
Senate praying that he be so
removed.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clearly therefore, the law
did not empower the President to suspend the CBN
Governor without recourse
to the Senate. You cannot
just trample on the law with
impunity, without recourse
to the constitutional provi-

sions,â&#x20AC;? he said.
Also, the governor drew
analogy from the illegal removal of President of the
Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo
Salami by President Jonathan.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a similar guise of sus-

pension, Justice Salami was
removed by the President
and was not reinstated despite his reinstatement by
the NJC. They refused to
[_O Z_O gWMV`O Y]O NNVW][O MY]O
retirement age of 70 years,â&#x20AC;?
he said.

L-R: Ogun State Commissioner for Physical Planning, Gbenga Otenuga; Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo
Adeoluwa; Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Head of Service, Mrs Modupe Adekunle and Commissioner for Finance, Mrs
Kemi Adeosun; during the sensitisation visit by members of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Council to Ifo and Ado-Odo/Ota
local government councils on the state Homeownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Charter Programme...yesterday.

APC describes Jonathanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
action illegal
when he suspended then President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, just to satisfy the
hawks in his party. Then, it is the
turn of
the National Assembly, the Po`V^]ONW[OW_dOMY]OwWNW^VN`OZ]^M_\sO
President Jonathan should not
destroy our institutions before he
c_dZO_gMO_bO_A^]OW]|MOj]N\sOY]Z]O
institutions are older than him
NW[O dV``O []wWVM]`jO _gM`Vv]O YVXRzzO
APC said.
It noted that while Section 11 (f)
of the CBN Act 2007 empowers
the President to remove the CBN
Governor, the section is clear that
he can only do so if he has the support of two-thirds majority of the
Senate.
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nowhere in the Act is it said
that the President can suspend the
CBN Governor, as he has done in
another of his serial rape of the
countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s laws,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; it said, adding
that the reasons given by the
presidency for Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suspension are as puerile as they are
unprecedented, and amount to
calling the dog a bad name just to
hang it.
APC said the questions that
arose, based on those ridiculous
reasons, are: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Why has it taken alX_ZMOwv]Oj]N\ZO_bONWgZVzZOM]Wg\]O
for the President to realize the ir-

regularities of CBN under Sanusi?
Why is the President acting on
questionable allegations against
Sanusi at a time the CBN Governor has opened the can of worms
in the NNPC?
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why has a President, who has
always treated glaring corruption
allegations against his political appointees with so much levity, now
so quick to move against a CBN
Governor who has never been accused, let alone indicted of corruption?
APC expressed serious concerns
at the implication of Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suspension for the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy,
especially on the value of the Naira; local and international investments; the stock market;
VWÂ?NMV_WO NW[O MY]O _v]\N``O Y]N`MYO

of the economy.
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Coming at a time when the
economy was already under pressure due to internal and external
bN^M_\ZONW[OVZOVWOW]][O_bOZVkWVw^NWMO
investments in several sectors,
such as power and manufacturing
to maintain its economic growth
rates, the uncertainty caused by
the suspension will leave both
local and international investors
questioning the economic direction of the country and therefore
their investment approach to Nigeria.
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;At best, new investments will
be delayed until investors consider
that economic and political stability has been restored, and at worst,
which is more likely, both new and
existing investors will pull back.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;The Nigerian Stock Exchange
that was already witnessing a
withdrawal of portfolio investors,
due to the US tapering exercise, is
likely to be exacerbated as more
investors, local and international,
]|VMO MY]O XN\p]MRO bg\MY]\O qgVWkO
downward pressure on the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exchange rate at a time the
O VZO N`\]N[jO YNvVWkO [VA^g`MjO
defending the currency. In fact, the
devaluation of the national currency looms.
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;All these factors will also drive
YVkY]\O VWÂ?NMV_WO \NM]ZO dVMYO VMZO NMtendant economic, social and
political costs. No one can say
for certain exactly how costly
this action will be for the nation
but there are no doubts it will be
high.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

presidential
hopeful under the platform of the
opposition
All Progressive Congress,
(APC) for the 2015 elections, Chief Sam NdaIsaiah said in Kaduna
yesterday that Nigerians
can longer take the risk of

electing President Jonathan as president in the
next elections.
Isaiah who was in Kaduna to consult with
Islamic Scholar Sheikh
Ahmed Gumi on his aspiration said this is because
â&#x20AC;&#x153;the whole country is in
disarray, there is theft,
there is disorder, I believe

the majority of Nigerians
will not take that chance
of electing President Jonathan again in 2015.â&#x20AC;?
According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A
very senior government
_A^VN`Oc`]dONOdYVZM`]ROMY]O
president did not investikNM]OMY]OXN]\OVWZM]N[OY]O
suspended the CBN governor, this is scandalous.â&#x20AC;?

...An offensive
illegality
â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Aturu
FRANCIS IWUCHUKWU

L

agos radical lawyer
and rights activist,
Bamidele Aturu, yesterday said the purported
removal of Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) Governor,
Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi by President Goodluck
Jonathan, is the most egregious desecration of the rule
of law and the principle of
legality in Nigeria to date.
The human rights lawyer
said in a statement while
reacting to the development
that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is unsurpassed in its
blatant illegality and immorality. The decision is symptomatic of the desperation
that has gripped the presidency and its allies in the
wake of the troubling allegations made by the Governor
_bOMY]ONWpOMYNMOqgc`V^O_Acials in the NNPC are looting the country blind in the
name of subsidy payments.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;To the best of my knowledge the allegation has not
been coherently answered
by the Corporation or by
the Government. As far as
the law goes, the purported
suspension of the Governor
is unwarranted.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Section 11 of the Central
Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007
clearly lists the instances
when the Governor or any of
his Deputies can cease to reXNVWOVWO_A^]sO_\OMY]ONv_V[ance of any doubt whatsoever, none of such instances
include suspension by the
President.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only mention of the
word â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;suspensionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is in Section 11(1)(d) and that relates
to the removal of the Governor when he or she is disÂ&#x20AC;gN`Vw][O_\OZgZq]W[][Ob\_XO
practicing his or her profession in Nigeria. Of course,
the illegal suspension of the
Governor is not from a professional body and is not at
all contemplated by the law.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;It should be pointed out
that the only occasion the
President can recommend
the removal of the Governor
or exercise any disciplinary
control over him is under
Section 11(1)(f) and that recommendation must be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate before he
can be removed.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now the law is indubitably clear that the express
mention of one thing is the
exclusion of the other. In
other words, if the law had
intended that the President
exercises the power of suspension over the Governor
of the Central Bank it would
have expressly stated so,
particularly as the same law
provides for the removal of
the Governor based on his
suspension from professional practice.

reactions to Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suspension

10
SAMINU IBRAHIM,Abuja

F

ormer
Vice
President Atiku
Abubakar
has
cautioned
the
Federal
Government against abuse
of power following the
abrupt manner the CBN
Governor, Sanusi Lamido
Sanisu was suspended
b\_XO_A^]sO
Reacting to the suspension in a statement issued
cjOYVZOX][VNO_A^]OVWOcgja, the former Vice President maintained that the
President had no power
to remove or suspend the
CBN Governor in such
XNWW]\s
According to Atiku, silence in the face of such
abuse of power by the
President of the country
was capable of sending
the wrong message and
Z]VWkO NO [NWk]\_gZO q\]^][]WMs
The former Vice President recalled that, when
he became a victim of such
abuse of power in the past
following his suspension
as Vice President by former President Olusegun
Obasanjo, he went to court
to challenge the action
and that the Federal High
Court, the Court of Appeal
and the Supreme Court
ruled that a President cannot suspend a public ofw^]\O Y]O YN[O W_O q_d]\O M_O

Go to court, Atiku tells Sanusi
ZN^ps
The former Vice President, who confessed that
he has no details of the
nature of Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alleged
}_*]W^]ZRO W]VMY]\O dNZO

he in the position to defend them, said â&#x20AC;&#x153;whatever
XVkYMO c]O MY]O _*]W^]O NWgZVO ^_XXV][RO \]ZV[]WMO
Jonathan should have followed constitutional pro-

cess to suspend or remove
the CBN Governor instead
of exceeding the boundary
_bOYVZOq_d]\Zs
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is not about Sanusi
as a person, or the person

Lagos-based
non-governmental
group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP),
yesterday insisted that
the suspension of the
Central Bank Governor
Lamido Sanusi, remains,
â&#x20AC;&#x153;A distraction and can
only contribute to shifting the focus of the government from the real isZg]RO dYV^YO VZO wW[VWkO MY]O
missing $20 billion oil
X_W]js
The group in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni argued:
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The
government
should not politicise the
wkYMONkNVWZMO^_\\gqMV_WsO
Our concern remains the
urgent, thorough, transqN\]WMO NW[O ]*]^MVv]O VWvestigation into allegations that $20 billion oil
money is missing from
the account of the Nigerian National Petroleum
_\q_\NMV_WOPQs
â&#x20AC;&#x153;If it is true that the suspension is linked with
Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public disclosure of the missing funds,
SERAP believes that this
will be clearly wrong and
contrary to the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obligations under the UN Convention
against Corruption to

Atiku therefore advised
the suspended the CBN
Governor to go to court to
challenge his suspension
in the interest of constitutionalism and the rule of
`Nds

L-R: Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Ado Mohammed; representative of the First Lady, Dr Asmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;u
Abdulkadir and Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina; at the sensitisation workshop for Commissioners/
Directors of Women Affairs and Child Development and other stakeholders in Abujaâ&#x20AC;Śyesterday.
Photo: NAN

SERAP condemns govt action

FRANCIS IWUCHUKWU

Daily Newswatch
friday, february 21, 2014

target a whistle-blower
simply for public the information in the public
[_XNVWs
â&#x20AC;&#x153;No one should be victimised for contributVWkO M_O MY]O wkYMO NkNVWZMO
corruption, which is the

moral and legal responsibility of any serious, open
and peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oriented
k_v]\WX]WMsO W`]ZZO MY]O
government comes clean
about what exactly has
happened to the $20 billion missing oil money,

the NNPC will remain
unaccountable to NigeriNWZOb_\OVMZON^MV_Ws
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will not be conZVZM]WMO dVMYO MY]O NVMg[]O
of a government establishment funded with tax
qNj]\ZzO X_W]jsO Y]O k_v-

]\WX]WMzZO N^MV_WO VWO wW[ing the missing money
and punishing suspected
perpetrators is critical if
it is to enjoy the trust and
^_Ww[]W^]O _bO Vk]\VNWZO
VWO MY]O wkYMO NkNVWZMO ^_\\gqMV_Ws

Lawmaker applauds decision
GYANG BERE, Jos

M

ember Representing
Jos South/Jos East
Federal Constituency in the House of RepreZ]WMNMVv]Ă O
_WsO VM\gZO
NÂ&#x201A;]O
has described the suspension
of the Governor of Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a welcome development
AYO AJOGE, SOKOTO

S

okoto-based legal practitioner,
Barrister Ferdinand
Okotete,
has said that
President
Goodluck
Jonathan acted in good
faith and in accordance
to the law guiding the
Central Bank of Nigeria
PQOOOcjOw\VWkOMY]Ob_\mer Governor of (CBN),
Malam Sanusi Lamido
NWgZVs
Speaking with Daily
Newswatch in Sokoto
Thursday, Okotete said

dYV^YOVZO`_WkO_v]\[g]s
NÂ&#x201A;]ROZMNM][OMYVZOVWONOq\]ZZO
statement and wondered
â&#x20AC;&#x153;why it took President Jonathan such a long time in takVWkOMYVZOv]\jO[]^VZVv]ON^MV_Ws
According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;But for
the fact that am a lawmaker,
who understands the weight
of the law and due process,
I would have preferred if he

had been sacked outrightly
and handed over to the law
enforcement agents for imX][VNM]Oq\_Z]^gMV_Ws
â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, President Jonathan must quickly empanel
a team of professionals of
unquestionable character to
beam a searchlight into the
dark years of Sanusi Lamido
Sanusi as Gov of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

]WM\N`ONWps
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am unable to recall that
any previous CBN Governor has done incalculable
damage to the integrity of
the CBN and invariably the
economy of Nigeria compared to Sanusi Lamido
Sanusi whose reign of impunity is unequalled in the
YVZM_\jO_bOMY]Os

It was
expected,
says Yakassai
Ted Odogwu, Kano

L

eader of Northern Elders Council
and former Special
Adviser to ex-president
Shehu Shagari on National Assembly Matters, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai yesterday in a terse
reaction to the suspension of CBN governor,
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,
stated that the CBN boss
must have been expecting such a bombshell
b\_XOMY]O\]ZV[]W^js
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe that the CBN
governor must have
been expecting such a
`]]\Ob\_XOMY]O\]ZV[]Wcy, which should not be
NOZg\q\VZ]OM_OYVXs

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in order !"
the former CBN bossâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
\]^]WMOg]\NW^]ZO_WOZMNM]O
of economy was an indication of how he has
grossly violated the ethics guiding a public ofw^]\s
According to the lawyers, â&#x20AC;&#x153;under section (8)
and (11) of the CBN Act,
2007 gave the President
the power to appoint and
remove both the Governor and Deputy Gov]\W_\O _bO sO _RO `__p-

VWkO NMO MYVZO [V\]^MV_WRO \sO
President has just acted
gW[]\OMY]O`Nds
â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the past three to
four months now, the
former CBN boss told
Nigerians how about $49
billion could not be accounted for by the NNPC
but suddenly recanted
such claims, when the

_gZ]O^_XXV]]OVWvVM][O
YVXOM_OM]ZMVbjs
He said the former CBN
boss never took his time

ten his facts before making public claims, he exq`NVW][s
He advised the President to take time in appointing a new helmsman for the apex bank
and not to base such
appointment on politics,
]MYWV^O_\O\]`VkV_gZO`VW]Zs
According to Okotete;
}MY]O_A^]OVZOv]\jOZVkWVwcant and anybody to be
appoint should be prob]ZZV_WN`OM_OMY]O^_\]s

11

Daily Newswatch

African Report
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

Extreme genital mutilation on retreat in Somaliland

I

t is a ritual supposed
to
keep
women
â&#x20AC;&#x153;pureâ&#x20AC;?, but an increased understanding of the severe
Y]N`MYO \VZpZO _bO ]|M\]X]O
forms of female genital
mutilation appears to be
slowly rolling back its
prevalence in Somaliaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
northwest.
In the self-declared So-

mali republic of Somaliland, most women over 25
have undergone the most
]|M\]X]O b_\XO _bO RO
known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;pharaonicâ&#x20AC;?.
This entails removal of
the clitoris and the labia
XVW_\NRO ^gVWkO _gMO Â?]ZYO
from the vulva and sewing
up the outer labia, leaving
_W`jO NO MVWjO _\Vw^]O b_\O MY]O
passage of urine and men-

ZM\gN`OÂ?_ds
The procedure is normally done with a razor blade
when the girl is between 5
and 11 years old, and without any pain killers. They
remain sewn up until marriage, at which point they
are either opened up durVWkOZ]|OÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2C6;O^NgZVWkOqNVWONW[O
distress to both partners
-- or cut open with scissors.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I cut girls for 15 years.
My grandmother and
mother taught me how and
it was a source of income
for me -- but I stopped doVWkO NWjO ^gVWkO b_g\O j]N\ZO
ago,â&#x20AC;? recounted Amran
Mahmood.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I decided to stop because
of the problems. The worst
time was when I was cutting a girl and she started

bleeding. I injected the
muscle to stop the bleeding and I cleaned the area
and she kept on bleeding.â&#x20AC;?
As well as social status,
c]VWkO NO Z_Â&#x2C6;^N``][O }^g]\O
brought in good money.
gVWkO _W]O kV\`O MNp]ZO Â&#x192;Â&#x2030;O
minutes and brings in between $30 and $50, a large
sum of money for Somaliland.

West Africa to bolster troops in Guinea-Bissau
Stories by Chris Uba

T

he Economic
Community
of West African States is
to strengthen
its military presence in
chronically-unstable
Guinea-Bissau as the
country prepares for nationwide elections, it has
announced.
Ivorian general Soumaila Bakayoko, chairman of the blocâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ComXV]]O _bO YV]bZO _bO
]b]W^]O MN*RO XN[]O MY]O
announcement to reporters late Wednesday in the
capital Bissau, without
specifying how many
troops would be added
to its current deployment
of 750.
He said the objective
was â&#x20AC;&#x153;to ensure security
for all during the elections to be held on April
13â&#x20AC;?.
The transitional government installed after
a coup in April 2012 had
decreed that presidential and legislative elections would take place
on March 16 and no new
[NM]O YNZO c]]WO _A^VN``jO
announced.
The vote was originally
due to take place within
a year of prime minister
Carlos Gomes Juniorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
regime being overthrown
but it has been postponed
several times.
Guinea-Bissau, which
gained
independence
from Portugal in 1974 after a war with its colonial
master lasting more than
NO[]^N[]ROYNZOZg*]\][OVWM]\XV]WMOgW\]ZMOZVW^]OVMZO
liberation.
The chronic volatility has fanned poverty in
the country of 1.6 million
people with few resources other than cashew nuts
NW[OwZYRON\N^MVWkO_gMYO
American drug cartels
which have turned it into
NOYgcO_bO^_^NVW]Â&#x2C6;M\NA^ping for west Africa.
It has seen a series of
XV`VMN\jO ^_gqZO N\VcgM][O
largely to the unprecedented bloating of the
army after the war.

Fighting resumes as S/Sudanese peace talks collapsed

T

he Sudanese rebels have shelled
Kadugli city, the
capital of the
South Kordofan
region on Wednesday, increasing fears that the collapsed talks will remain
put.
AU mediator, former
South African President
Thabo Mbeki, decided to
suspend the Sudan negotiations for 10 days.

The negotiations collapsed on Sunday after only 20 minutes as
both parties stood their
grounds.
The governor of South
Kordofan state Adam alfaki said that eight Katyusha
rockets have hit the city in
the Wednesday evening.
The bombs fell outside
the city, but some in a
residential area and we are
trying to count the causali-

ties the governor however
added.
The SPLM-North did
not comment on the incident.
Y]O NN^pO ^NX]O b]dO
hours after the government announces it has
sent thousands of soldiers
M_OMY]OcN`]ON\]NZOVWO_gMYO
Kordofan and Blue Nile
states.
Sudanese Defence minister Yahya Mohamed

YV]\O ^_Ww\X][O MYNMO MY]O
security situation in the
two areas has witnessed
intensive military escalation after the suspension
of the African mediation
between the rebels of
SPLM-North and the government.
The Sudan parties failed
to make any progress in
the negotiations which began this week in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

New fighting
in Central
African
Republic
blocks U.N.
visit

H

]NvjO
wkYMVWkO
erupted near the
airport in Central
African Republicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital
Bangui on Wednesday,
as Christian militia tried
to block the evacuation of
Muslims and disrupted a
visit by a top United NaMV_WZONV[O_A^VN`ROdVMW]ZZ]ZO
said.
Y]OwkYMVWkOdNZOMY]O`NMest episode in a cycle of
religious violence that has
displaced an estimated 1
million people from the
former French colony and
killed at least 2,000.
About 6,000 African and
1,600 French peacekeepers
have failed to halt the conÂ?V^MsON\VZOYNZOdN\W][OMY]O
crisis risks degenerating
into genocide.
The latest clashes began
after Chadian troops tried
to escort a convoy of Muslims out of the city, said
Songokoua
Yetinzapa,
a Bangui resident living
in a vast camp for displaced civilians near the
airport. Their departure
was blocked by the militia,
known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;anti-balaka,â&#x20AC;? which means â&#x20AC;&#x153;antimacheteâ&#x20AC;? in the Sango
language.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I heard several people
were killed, but I only saw
one dead body: a Muslim
who was killed by the
anti-balaka,â&#x20AC;? he said by
telephone as automatic
kgWw\]O NW[O NWO ]|q`_ZV_WO
rang out.
Reuters journalists were
chased from the scene by
machete-wielding youths.
Sebastien Wenezoui, a
spokesman for the anticN`NpNRO ZNV[O MY]V\O wkYM]\ZO
came out to defend the local population near the airport after they were targeted by Chadian troops who
were escorting the convoy.

he opposition
in
Tanzania
have accused
President
Jakaya Kikwete
of inciting violence by
declaring last week that
it was time members of
his party reacted if they
are attacked by opponents.Clashes between
members of the ruling
party and the opposition have been recurrent in recent months.
They are often dispersed with tear gas or
live bullets by the police who are accused of

siding Kikweteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s party
Chama Cha Mapinduzi,
which means Revolution
Party in Swahili.
In a statement posted on
its blog on Wednesday,
Chadema the main opposition party urged the
Tanzanian leader â&#x20AC;&#x153;to
withdraw his declaration and ask for forgiveness within three daysâ&#x20AC;?,
otherwise a complaint
dV``Oc]Ow`][ONkNVWZMOYVXs
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high time you
defended
yourselves.
Patience has its limitsâ&#x20AC;?
President Kikwete declared last week, while

addressing his supporters during a meeting by
his party.
Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda also a

member of the ruling
party is facing charges
by local human rights
organizations of incitement to violence

against the opposition
during a parliamentary
session.
Pinda has denied any
wrongdoing.

Botswana leader asks Tsvangirai to step down â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Report

B

otswana President Ian Khama has allegedly into the
internal squabbles within Zimbabweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Movement for Democratic Change, telling the
partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beleaguered leader Morgan Tsvangirai to
step down.
According to the state-

run Herald daily, Khama
allegedly phoned Tsvangirai at the weekend
soon after the assault on
MDC deputy treasurer
Elton Mangoma and secretary general Tendai Biti
by youths aligned to the
former Zimbabwean premier.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;President
Khama
phoned Mr Tsvangirai

soon after the Harvest
House violence and advised him to step down.
He made it clear to him
that while they supported the MDC, it was
time for him to hand over
the party leadership to
someone else,â&#x20AC;? the paper
quoted an unnamed diplomatic source on Thursday.

residency
yesterday apologised to
the Olubadan of
Ibadanland,
Oba
Odulana Odugade,
his council of chiefs and the
entire people of Ibadanland
for President Goodluck Jonathanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s failure to extend his visit to them while in Oyo State
last weekend.
The Special Adviser to

the President on Media and
Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati,
explained that Jonathan had
agreed to visit the Olubadan
in his future schedules, adding that not calling on him on
the last visit was not intended
to slight the traditional institution which he holds in high
esteem.
Olubadan of Ibadanland,
Oba Odugade had yesterday,
in a statement through the

secretary of his council, Kamoru Iliasu, protested against
the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inability to accord him the honour while
the council of chiefs had fruitlessly waited for him.
Olubadan contented that
the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visit to the
`NwWO _bO j_O NX_gWM][O M_O
undermining the traditional
institution of Ibadanland.
Abati, who made reference
to the statement noted that Ol-

ubadan, in that statement, was
alleged to have accused the
president of disregarding the
Olubadan stool, by passing
through Ibadan without stopping by to see the Olubadan
and then went on to Oyo to
Z]]OMY]O`NwWO_bOj_sO
YV`]O c\V]wWkO ZMNM]O Y_gZ]O
correspondents, Abati said
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let me use this opportunity
to make it clear that the President holds Olubadan, people

of Ibadan and people of Oyo
State and the people of the
South West in general in very
high esteem.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;He considers the Olubadan
as father and a great Nigerian
and has enjoyed excellent relationship with Olubadan,
the people of Ibadan, people
of Oyo State and the people
of South West. And that in[]][ROZVW^]OY]ONZZgX][O_A^]RO
has been to the palace of Ol-

ubadan to pay homage.â&#x20AC;?
While explaining the circumstances why visit to the
Olubadan was not in the itinerary of President Jonathan,
he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;But on this particular
occasion, it happened that the
schedule of the President indicated that he has at least two
M\VqZOM_OcN[NWOdVMYVWOMY]Ow\ZMO
quarter of the year.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;He will be in Ibadan for the
PDP South West rally and he
is scheduled to visit and pay
homage to the Olubadan. The
Olubadan will be celebrating
plates were also recovered his 100 years birthday in April
and the President has been
inside the truck.â&#x20AC;?
The spokesman said the previously scheduled to visit
driver a few days later re- him.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;So for these reasons you
grouped with the escaped
suspects, this time engaging can see very clearly that there
the services of a vulcaniser, was no intention to ignore
a taxi driver and the soldier, the Olubadanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s palace to pay
NN^Y][OM_OÂ&#x2020;Â&#x2026;OVvVZV_WO_bOMY]O homage to him. And in due
Nigerian Army, Enugu, to course, the President will be in
cart away the truck with the Ibadan.
stolen goods.

another armed robbery operation he took part in.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;A third suspect, Onyemachi Oge, who hails from Ezzamgbo and owner of the
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;horror houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; where the
victim was held captive for
14 days had earlier been arrested by police and charged
to court,â&#x20AC;? Anyanwu said.
He said the Police are still
trailing other suspects in the

crime.
The Police also arrested
a soldier, Pt. Ashafa Ismail
and 11 other suspects for
allegedly vandalising and
stealing properties of the
moribund Nigerian Cement
Company
(NIGERCEM),
Nkalagu, Ishielu LGA, Ebonyi state.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The police responded to a
report of looting and vandal-

isation of NIGERCEM property and promptly scrambled an anti-crime patrol
team to the location but on
sighting the team, the driver
of the Mercedes truck and
some of the suspects took to
their heels.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Five of the hoodlums
were also arrested while the
getaway Mercedes truck was
also impounded. Raw mill

notorious kidnap cartel terrorising Ebonyi
State and envi\_WZO YNZO wWN``jO
been caught by the Police.
The catch includes the
ringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alleged kingpin and
two other gang members.
The kidnap ring was allegedly responsible for last
yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kidnap of a medical
doctor in Ebonyi State, Dr.
Manyike Chuka.
The kingpin, Okechukwu
Omah, a tailor by profession
with workshop at 22, Owerri Street, Abakaliki, close
to the victimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospital, was
nabbed by crack detectives
from the Department of Investigation, Ebonyi State Police Command.
Police spokesman, ASP
Chris Anyanwu, said the
kingpin was arrested by CID
detectives led by Assistant
Commissioner of Police, Augustina Ogbodo.
Another member of the
gang simply known as
Ejike, who allegedly shot
and killed Manyikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s security guard during the kidnap
operation, the spokesman
noted, also met his waterloo as he was killed during A cross section of participants at a sensitization workshop on the Central Bank of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s N220 Billion Micro,
a shootout with the police in Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund in Yola, Adamawa Stateâ&#x20AC;Śyesterday.

conomic and Financial
Crimes
Commission
(EFCC),
yesterday re-arraigned
former Managing Director
(MD) of the defunct Bank
PHB, now Keystone Bank
Plc, Francis Atuche, alongside a former Executive Director of the bank, Charles
Ojo, on a 45-count charge
that touches on banking
malpractices, granting reckless loans without collateral
and money laundering.
They were re-arraigned
before Justice Saliu Saidu of
NO][]\N`O
VkYO_g\MOZVVWkO
in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Justice Saidu would be
the fourth trial judge to enM]\MNVWO MY]O XN]\O ZVW^]O VMZO
inception sometime in October 2009.
The duo were last docked
c]b_\]O
gZMV^]O VMNO w`VÂ&#x2C6;
Ajumogobia of the court on
November 14, 2012, on a

45-count charge of banking
malpractices, which included granting reckless loans
without collateral.
O MO j]ZM]\[NjzZO ZVVWkO _WO
MY]OXN]\ROMY]ON^^gZ][Oq]\sons pleaded not guilty to
all the charge made against
them by the anti-graft
agency. This then prompted Atucheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawyer, Chief

Anthony Idigbe (SAN), to
pray the court to allow the
accused continue on the earlier bail granted by previous
trial judges.
The senior lawyer exq`NVW][Obg\MY]\OMYNMOMY]Ow\ZMO
trial judge, Justice Akinjide
{NpNVj]RO YN[O N[XV][O MY]O
accused to bail in the sum of
N50 million each with two

sureties in like sum.
He explained that the bail
terms were subsequently
adopted by Justice Binta
Murtala-Nyako on February
3, 2012, and then by Justice
Ajumogobia on January 16,
2013.
The senior lawyer consequently prayed the court to
exercise its discretion in al-

lowing the accused continue
on the earlier bail terms.
However in the absence
of no objection from counsel
to the anti-graft agency, Mr
Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Justice Saidu in a short ruling,
directed Atuche and his coaccused to continue with the
earlier bail granted by the
previous judges.

2015: NGE urges INEC to be unbiased

P

resident,
Nigerian
Guild
of
Editors
(NGE), Mr. Femi
Adesina, yesterday called on
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to
be impartial in disseminating information to the media
to ensure credible elections
in 2015.
Adesina made the call at
the Strategy Meeting on Media and the 2015 Elections
Agenda organised by Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) in Lagos.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;INEC must be seen to be

truly independent and imqN\MVN`OVWON``O\NXVw^NMV_WZOM_O
ensure that come 2015, we
have peaceful and transparent elections in Nigeria,â&#x20AC;? he
said.
He stressed the need for
INEC to enforce the provisions of the Electoral Act in
an impartial way to enhance
transparency in the conduct
of political parties in the
country.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is very important that
the provisions of the Electoral Act are impartially enforced by INEC.â&#x20AC;?

According to him, as preparation towards 2015 elections gathers momentum,
OXgZMOVWM]WZVbjO]*_\MOM_O
]WYNW^]Oqgc`V^O^_Ww[]W^]OVWO
its ability to conduct credible
elections.
Adesina advised journalists to always ensure fair, accurate, objective and balance
reportage to avoid misleading the public.
He noted that objective
and balance reporting was
very central to achieving
peaceful atmosphere before,
during and after elections.

He decried the use of religion and tribal sentiment by
some politicians as a means
of canvassing for support
from the electorate.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is very unfortunate that
some politicians are using
religion and tribalism as a
political tool to canvass support from the electorate.â&#x20AC;?
Earlier, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman,
Mr. Kayode Idowu, restated
the commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s determinaMV_WO M_O kVv]O ]Â&#x20AC;gN`O N]WMV_WO
to all media establishments
in the country.

Deploy more
troops to
Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;East, NSGF
urges FG

N

orthern
States
Governorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Forum
(NSGF) has urged
the Federal Government
to deploy more troops
to North East geopolitical zone to contain the
gqZg\k]O VWO NN^pZO cjO MY]O
Boko Haram insurgents.
The governors made the
call in a communiquĂŠ issued at the end of their
meeting in Kaduna.
NSGF Chairman and
Niger State governor, Alhaji Bababgida Aliyu, who
read out the resolution to
newsmen, said the security
situation in the zone was
becoming worrisome.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The forum (NSGF)
called on the Federal Government to deploy more
security personnel with superior military equipment
as well as adopt measures
to boost their morale to enNc`]O MY]XO ]*]^MVv]`jO wkYMO
the insurgents and other
threats to security in the
region.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The forum called on the
government to secure the
countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s porous borders
by restricting trans-border
movements, providing adequate funding as well as
implementing all past security reports in the country.â&#x20AC;?
The governors resolved
to adopt common approach towards combating
insurgency in the region.
This, he said would be
done by â&#x20AC;&#x153;downplaying
q_`VMV^N`O [V*]\]W^]ZO NW[O
working towards a common goal; improving on
intelligence gathering and
vigorously pursuing employment and youth empowerment programmes
M_O MNp]O V[`]O j_gMYZO _*O _g\O
streets.â&#x20AC;?

The last time the Bar practicing fees was
increased was in 2003 and this is 10 years after.
During the JB Daudu SAN administration, the
GCB proposed an increment which the then
NBA National Executive Committee (NEC)
found inconvenient. At the NEC meeting held in
Lokoja, NEC mandated the then NBA President
(JB Daudu) to go back to the GCB and propose
789:;9<=:9>?;=@F<FH=I9H99K7KMO9>QR=I9
GCB

ewly
redeployed
Commissioner of Police,
Joseph Mbu has sounded it
loud and clear that his new
posting to Abuja, the Federal
Capital Territory(FCT) has no bearing with
politics, adding that discipline remains his
watchword. It may be recalled that Mbu
was redeployed to the FCT having served
meritoriously in the crisis ridden Rivers
State as the Commissioner of Police.
Tough spoken Mbu, in his maiden
address with journalists in Abuja on
Monday said he was posted to Abuja to
do police work which primarily bordered
on service to humanity and integrity. He
made this declaration just as critics say
he would succeed as the Commissioner
of Police in Abuja, judging from his
antecedents. Responding to a question
about allegations of his non-neutrality
in the political crisis in Rivers State, he
said:â&#x20AC;?Am not here to do politics. I want you
to ask questions within what I am telling
you here. I would not entertain questions
that do not fall within my jurisdiction.
My purpose here as the Commissioner
of Police is to work. You are at liberty to
watch and monitor what is happening in
Rivers State by asking questions from the
Commissioner of Police thereâ&#x20AC;?, he said.
Pressed to comment on the crises that
lately engulfed Rivers State, Mbu said that
over 97 % of the people there have much
^_Ww[]W^]O VWO MY]O q_`V^]O X_ZMO ]Zq]^VN``jO
when he was there as the Chief cop.
Mbu had, in a prepared brief, told
journalists about his preparedness to
cgV`[O ^_Ww[]W^]O VWO MY]O X]WO NW[O _A^]\ZO
of the FCT Police Command, defend them
when necessary as long as they are doing
not only the right thing, but what is legal.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will ensure that those who are trying
to take laws into your hands do not go
scot- free. Those who revel in what the law
considered to be bad would be brought to
book. This is why, I told you earlier on
MYNMOMY]O^_XXNW[OZYN``OcgV`[O^_Ww[]W^]O
VWOMY]OX]WONW[O_A^]\ZĂ ONW[OMYNMONWjc_[jO
found wanting amongst you shall regret
it.â&#x20AC;?
Mbu advanced further that the bedrock
of police work is discipline which
must not be compromised at all times.
Discipline and integrity goes together.
A man without integrity is worse than
NO [VZ^N\[][O w`MYjO \NksO Y]\]b_\]RO O [_WzMO
^_Xq\_XVZ]O[VZ^Vq`VW]Ă OOdV``O]WZg\]OMYNMO
the tenets of the police job are strictly
N[Y]\][O M_Ă O ]v]\jO q_`V^]O _A^]\O d_\pVWkO
here must be disciplined, must be civil
to the public, must respect the public
NW[O Nc_v]O N``RO XgZMO c]O v]\jO w\XRO X_ZMO
especially whenever it comes to decisionmakingâ&#x20AC;? he further cautioned his men
NW[O_A^]\Zs
CP Mbu who promised to build on what
his predecessor has laid down, added that

he could only make changes where they
N\]O ^_WZV[]\][O W]^]ZZN\jĂ O }MY]O Z_^V]MjO
is dynamic and the command would
not be left behind in the areas where
change becomes not only imperative, but
inevitable.â&#x20AC;?
While promising to install complain
boxes in public places which is inclusive
of churches and mosques, he said such a
professional gesture would allow people
to freely volunteer timely and useful
VWb_\XNMV_WĂ O }c]ZV[]ZRO VMO ZY_g`[O c]O Z]]WO
as a way of bridging the gap between the
police and the general public. You can
call it public relations in action. Patriotic
people of the command would therefore
be able to drop their observations in form
of writing about the conduct of police men
dVMYVWOMY]OM]\\VM_\jĂ ONW[OZg^YONO^_Xq`NVWMPZQO
as the case may be, would be discreetly
VWv]ZMVkNM][sOY]\]b_\]ROXjO_A^]\ZOZY_g`[O
not be afraid in as much they are doing
the right thing. There is no witch â&#x20AC;&#x201C;hunting
anybodyâ&#x20AC;?, he added. Meanwhile, Mbu
also enjoined journalists, most especially
those covering activities within the Federal
Capital Territory to always be accurate and
truthful in their reporting. He noted that
journalists, as the fourth estate of the realm,
have noble roles to play in nation â&#x20AC;&#x201C;building.
According to him, reporters should always
consider patriotism while reporting, most
especially sensitive issues that could

Mbu

undermine the security of the State. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do
not have another country to call ours. Let us
continue to be involved in nation-building
as we strive to do our jobs within ethical
constraintsâ&#x20AC;?, he canvassed.Mbu said he
would open his doors to journalists for the
purpose of rubbing minds, most especially
in areas that are not clear to them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do not
have anything to hide. My doors are opened
for enquiries, anytime any dayâ&#x20AC;?.
Meanwhile, Mbu has been described
as a mercurial and professional police

_A^]\OcjONOZ]NZ_W][O^\VX]O\]q_\M]\RO\sO
_`_\gWZ_O NsO NO ZNV[O cgO q\_v][OO
his worth when he was in-charge of
the Federal Highway, Borno-Yobe axis
e.t.c.where he put paid to indiscipline
NX_WkZMO YVZO _A^]\ZO NW[O X]WsO
]O ZNV[O
Mbu should bring to bear his wealth of
experience, most especially in the area of
public administration and in the process
c]dN\]O_bOMY_Z]OY]OPNQO^N``ZOZj^_qYNWMZO
â&#x20AC;&#x153;as they are all over the place to do
mischief.â&#x20AC;?

From music to robbery

D

]M]^MVv]ZO NN^Y][O M_O MY]O
special
Anti-Robbery
sqaud, Ikeja Lagos are still
holding as their guest,
a musician who reportedly participated in a chain of robberies. Authorities said that the indigene
_bO X_O MNM]O V[]WMVw][O NZO
_WNMYNWO
Nsirim, belonged to a gang, which specialises in breaking and stealing from
cNWpZzOgM_XNM][O]``]\ON^YVW]Zs
Police, while parading the gang members alleged that the gang was responsible for an ATM robbery in November
2013 that left three policemen dead at the
Ayobo branch of Access Bank.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos
State Command, Umar Manko, identiw][OMY]O_MY]\OX]Xc]\ZO_bOMY]OkNWkONZO
Daniel Onuoha, Eyo Bassey, Tairu Kareem, Tajudeen Dosunmu, Isiah Willie
NW[O_Ww[]W^]ONvV_g\s
The musician said it was his passion
for music coupled with his desire to
kVv]OYVZObNXV`jONOc]]\O`Vb]OMYNMOqgZY][O
him into crime.
He said although he charged N50,
000 to perform at events, the money
was not regular and he often had to
share the pay with other members of
his band.
He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I sing all genres of music

and I even have my own band known
as Masterpiece Band. I am also a profesZV_WN`O [NW^]\Ă O XjO ZMNk]O WNX]O VZO \VkVnal. I perform at weddings, night clubs
and other social gatherings. Sometime
in 2012, I went to Beach Land Estate,
Apapa to perform at a function. That
dNZOdY]\]OOX]MO_Ww[]W^]ONW[Od]O]|changed telephone numbers.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two weeks later, he called me for a
meeting and asked me what I wanted
most in life, I said I wanted my music
career to succeed and I needed money
to buy music instruments. He said he
would get me out of poverty.
}
]OZNV[Od]Od_g`[Oc]O\_ccVWkOcNWpZzO
ATMs but no one would get killed. He
gave me two days to think about the
deal but warned me that once I joined, I
would not be allowed to leave. I accepted the deal because I needed to buy the
VWZM\gX]WMZONW[O_Ww[]W^]OVWM\_[g^][O
me to the leader, Onuoha.â&#x20AC;?
Narrating how the gang operated,
Nsirim said after monitoring a bank
for a few days, they would plan how to
break into it.
He said on the night of any operation,
Wg_YNRO_Ww[]W^]ONW[ONZZ]jOd_g`[O
enter the banks premises as customers
who wanted to withdraw from ATM,
point their guns at the security guards

and then tie them up.
He said after the guards had been
subdued, he would carry gas cylinders into the bank, while the welder
would burn the ATM and force it open

]O ZNV[RO }[g\VWkO MY]O w\ZMO \_cc]\jO
in one night, Onuoha pretended that
he wanted to withdraw money from
a bank on Malu Road, Ajegunle. On
k]VWkO VWZV[]RO MY]jO MV][O gqO MY]O Z]^grity guards and I carried a gas cylinder
into the bank premises and we burnt
the ATM. My share was N250, 000.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We robbed another bank at Idimu,
my share was N350, 000. We also
\_cc][ONOw``VWkOZMNMV_WON\_gW[OÂ&#x2C6;
Igando Road. I used my share to buy
musical instruments since that was
dYjOOM__pOM_O\_cc]\jOVWOMY]Ow\ZMOq`N^]sO
After buying instruments, I used the
remainder to take care of my wife and
two kids
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The last robbery was at a bank in
Ayobo. We hid in a nearby bush, waitVWkO b_\O Wg_YNRO _Ww[]W^]O NW[ONZsey, who had entered the bank, to give
us a signal as usual.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;But when we heard gunshots we all
Â?][sOMOdNZONbM]\OOdNZON\\]ZM][OO`]N\WMO
that three policemen were killed. I did
W_MO^N\\jONWjOkgWĂ OO^NWW_MOpV``ONOYgXNWO
being, God forbid.â&#x20AC;?

The lawyer said
that in 2013,
Ukwu and the
wife “covetously
encroached on the
Land of our client,
as a result of which
our client brought
civil action against
them and others at
Delta State High
Court vide suit No
A/167/2013 between
Mr. Cyprain Umeh
versus Chinedu
Ukwu and three
others

I love everything
about
performances
-Choreograper
Bimbo Obafunwa
Bibmo Obafunwa is a choreographer, dancer and music
director. He is also the head of the Corporate Dance World, a
Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dance agency that networks.
He is also a partner to the Society for Performing Arts in
Nigeria and a member of the Spirit of David. In this interview
with ADA DIKE, he speaks on why he chose his career.
full of fun. Though it has been up and
down, it has been wonderful and I
donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t regret it.
Did people ridicule you when you
began dancing?
]ZRO MY]jO [V[sO MO VZO MY]O w\ZMO _bO XjO
ADA DIKE
kind to go into full time dancing, apart
ada.dike@mydailynewswatchng.com
from the head of the Spirit of David,
our
foray
into Segun Lawal. I decided to go into full
time.
choreography
In 2001 and 2002, dancing was not
I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know exactly
when I started dancing but anything to be reckoned with in a
professionally, I started in society. I used to rehearse somewhere
2000, while I was still in the university. at that time and the only thing that
What did you study in the came close to dancing was aerobic.
We later started dance classes and I
university?
I studied microbiology. I am sure was an instructor for the Society for
you have met people in the past that Performing Artiste then. We were
studied something else and ended being ridiculed but I went into it due
up doing another thing. I am one of to the passion I have for it and sailed
the victims. I decided to go after my through. Today, everybody wants to
qNZZV_WONbM]\OZ^Y__`ONW[OVMOqNV[O_*ONMO do it because they saw one person who
the end of the day. I was nominated became successful through dance. It
for the Future Awards 2009. So I guess was hard but I carried my own cross
and endured because I had something
it is working.
As a performing artiste, how has I was looking towards and we were
k]VWkO^`_Z]\O]v]\jO[Njs
the experience been so far?
What has been your major
I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say it has been like this or like
that because I love everything about breakthrough?
It is not a breakthrough you see
performances. I love to perform, I
love to watch performances and I physically. Every day I wake up, I
love to scrutinize them. When I am tend to love dance more. That is what
to perform, it works for me. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been I called breakthrough. As I step into

Y

We were being ridiculed but I went into
it due to the passion I have for it and
sailed through. Today, everybody wants
to do it because they saw one person
who became successful through dance.
It was hard but I carried my own cross
and endured because I had something I
!"##$$"$$
closer every day.

Obafunwa

my future daily, I keep developing
more breakthroughs through my
profession.
How were your childhood days?
I belong to a family of two children
NW[O O NXO MY]O w\ZMsO O YNv]O NO j_gWk]\O
sister, father and mother. I am from
Lagos State. I went to the Green
Spring for my primary school. I later
went St. Gregoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College in Ikoyi
and University of Ibadan. I was a very
stubborn child and it was an asset for
me. I used to get into trouble. God
later channel that stubbornness into
something good.
You are dancing as you are talking.
I am sorry. It is in me.
Have you buried microbiology since
you chose dancing as your profession?
Dancing is all I do now. I preach
the gospel according to dance. That
VZO XjO dY_`]O `Vb]sO NW^VWkO VZO []wW][O
as the movement of the body through
time and space to rhythm. I think
everybody does it and we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hide
it. Everybody can dance according
to their capability and according to
how you are able to coordinate and
move your body. But the truth of the
XN]\OVZROd]ON``OX_v]sOY]OXgZV^Oj_gO
hear you move to it. What we do is
M_O Y]`qO q]_q`]O wW]Â&#x2C6;MgW]O MYNMO dYV^YO
they already have. Dance is good for
the soul. Each time I am emotionally
down, I walk down to the studio and
punch play on the music. By the time
I spend like one hour dancing, I will
c]O wW]sO ]O YNv]O W_MO j]MO q\_v]WO MYNMO
medically, but trust me, in the nearest
future, we will do that.
Have you ever danced in the dream?
Of course I do. It happens all the

time
How do you relax?
My job is one the best jobs. It is one
_bO MY]O ]*]^MVv]O \]`N|NMV_WO MY]\NqV]ZsO
I run a programme for corporate
organization and it is called dance
therapy. We have taken the tenets of
[NW^]ONW[OZY_dWOVMZOc]W]wMsObOOMNp]ONO
[NW^]O^N``][O~YVqÂ&#x2C6;Y_qzROOd_g`[O[]wW]O
MY]O WgXc]\O _bO ZM]qZO VWO YVqÂ&#x2C6;Y_qO NW[O
]Â&#x20AC;gNM]OMYNMOM_OX][V^N`Oc]W]wMOVWOM]\XZO
_bOc_[jOX_v]X]WMsOYVqÂ&#x2C6;Y_qRO{NÂ&#x201A;Â&#x201A;ONW[O
others, whatever the style, we break
that down. We began it seven years
ago and we now have companies that
are turning up for it. They send in
MY]V\OZMN*ONW[OVWZM]N[O_bOk_VWkOM_OkjXRO
MY]jO^_X]Ob_\O_g\OwMW]ZZO[NW^]OqN\Mjs
What are your weaknesses?
_gO N\]O k]VWkO M__O q]\Z_WN`sO jO
weakness? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know. My weakness
is that I move my head wherever I hear
music. People would say I am crazy. It
is a weakness.
On a normal day, how is it like?
jO [NjO VZO q\]jO Xg^YO bg``O c]^NgZ]O
I may be doing something that is,
dancing, if not in a studio. My whole
life has been dedicated to this work.
Is your dreadlock hairstyle part of
your dancing costume?
No. This hairstyle is just me. I like it.
I started wearing it about ten years ago
and I have been able to maintain it. I
have a reason for wearing dreadlock
but it is personal.
What is your message to your fans?
I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have fans but I have friends.
If you have got something you love to
do, do it with sincerity. It might not
pay at the initial stage but it will yield
good fruits at the end.

Daily Newswatch

Arts

Friday, February 21, 2014

55

Why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t he just be like everyone else?
Chimamanda Adichie writes on
Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anti-Gay Law

I

will call him Sochukwuma.
kwuma. A thin,
smiling boy who liked to play with us
girls at the university primary school in
Nsukka. We were young.
ng. We knew he
dNZO[V*]\]WMROd]OZNV[RO~Y]zZOW_MO`Vp]O
~Y]zZOW_MO`Vp]O
MY]O _MY]\O c_jZszO gMO YVZO dNZO
ZO NO c]WVkWO
NW[O gWÂ&#x20AC;g]ZMV_W][O [V*]\]W^]Ă O
dNZO
]Ă O VMO dNZ
simply what it was. We did not
have a name for him. Wee did
W_MO pW_dO MY]O d_\[O ~kNjszO
]

]O
was Sochukwuma and he was
friendly and he played ogaa
so well that his side always
won.
In secondary school,
some boys in his class tried
to throw Sochukwuma
_*O NO Z]^_W[O Â?__\O
balcony. They were
strapping teenagers who
had learned to notice,
NW[O b]N\RO [V*]\]W^]sO
They had a name for
YVXsO
_X_sO Y]jO
mocked him because
his hips swayed when
he walked and his hands
Â?g]\][O dY]WO Y]O Zq_p]sO

]O c\gZY][O NdNjO MY]V\O
taunts, silently, sometimes
grinning an uncomfortablee
k\VWsO
]O XgZMO YNv]O dVZY][O
][
that he could be what they
hey
wanted him to be. I imagine now
how helplessly lonely he must
st have
b]`MsOY]Oc_jZO_bM]WONZp][RO}YjO^NWzMO
YjO^NWzMO
he just be like everyone else?â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;?
Possible answers to that question
estion include
~c]^NgZ]O Y]O VZO NcW_\XN`RzO ~c]^NgZ]O
c]^NgZ]O Y]O VZO NO
ZVWW]\RO ~c]^NgZ]O Y]O ^Y_Z]O MY]O `Vb]ZMj`]szO gMO
MY]OM\g]ZMONWZd]\OVZO~]O[_WzMOpW_dszOY]\]OVZO
zMOpW_dszOY]\]OVZO
humility and humanity in accepting
cepting that there
N\]OMYVWkZOd]OZVXq`jO[_WzMOpW_dsOMOMY]ONk]O_bO
W_dsOMOMY]ONk]O_bO
Â&#x2020;RO_^YgpdgXNOdNZO_cvV_gZ`jO[V*]\]WMsOOMOdNZO
jO[V*]\]WMsOOMOdNZO
not about sex, because it could
d not possibly have
been â&#x20AC;&#x201C; his hormones were of course
ourse not yet fully
formed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but it was an awareness of himself, and
_MY]\O^YV`[\]WzZONdN\]W]ZZO_bOYVXRONZO[V*]\]WMsO

]O^_g`[OW_MOYNv]O~^Y_Z]WOMY]O`Vb]ZMj`]zOc]^NgZ]O
he was too young to do so. And why would he â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
or anybody â&#x20AC;&#x201C; choose to be homosexual in a world
MYNMOXNp]ZO`Vb]OZ_O[VA^g`MOb_\OY_X_Z]|gN`ZĂ&#x2122;
The new law that criminalizes homosexuality
VZO q_qg`N\O NX_WkO Vk]\VNWZsO gMO VMO ZY_dZO NO
failure of our democracy, because the mark
of a true democracy is not in the rule of its
majority but in the protection of its minority
â&#x20AC;&#x201C; otherwise mob justice would be considered
democratic. The law is also unconstitutional,

Adichie

ambiguous,
and a strange
priority in a country
problems.
with so many real problems
Above all else, however, it is unjust. Even if
this was not a country of abysmal electricity
supply where university graduates are barely
literate and people die of easily-treatable
^NgZ]ZONW[O_p_O
N\NXO^_XXVMZO^NZgN`OXNZZO
murders, this law would still be unjust. We
cannot be a just society unless we are able
M_O N^^_XX_[NM]O c]WVkWO [V*]\]W^]RO N^^]qMO
c]WVkWO [V*]\]W^]RO `Vv]O NW[O `]MO `Vv]sO ]O XNjO
W_MOgW[]\ZMNW[OY_X_Z]|gN`VMjROd]OXNjOwW[OVMO
personally abhorrent but our response cannot
be to criminalize it.
A crime is a crime for a reason. A crime has

But, quite simply, people are not dogs,
and to accept the premise â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that a
homosexual is comparable to an animal
â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is inhumane. We cannot reduce the
humanity of our fellow men and women
because of how and who they love. Some
animals eat their own kind, others desert
their young

victims.
A
crime
harms
society. On what basis is
homosexuality
Adults
h
lit a crime?
i ? Ad
lt
do no harm to society in how they love and
whom they love. This is a law that will not
prevent crime, but will, instead, lead to crimes
_bO vV_`]W^]Ă&#x20AC;O MY]\]O N\]O N`\]N[jRO VWO [V*]\]WMO
qN\MZO_bOVk]\VNRONN^pZO_WOq]_q`]O~ZgZq]^M][zO
of being gay. Ours is a society where men are
_q]W`jO N*]^MV_WNM]O dVMYO _W]O NW_MY]\sO ]WO
Y_`[O YNW[ZsO ]WO YgkO ]N^YO _MY]\sO YN``O d]O
now arrest friends who share a hotel room, or
dY_OdN`pOZV[]OcjOZV[]Ă&#x2122;O
_dO[_Od]O[]M]\XVW]O
MY]O^`gWpjO]|q\]ZZV_WZOVWOMY]O`NdOĂ&#x2013;O~XgMgN``jO
c]W]w^VN`RzO~[V\]^M`jO_\OVW[V\]^M`jĂ&#x2122;z
NWjOVk]\VNWZOZgqq_\MOMY]O`NdOc]^NgZ]OMY]jO
c]`V]v]O MY]O Vc`]O ^_W[]XWZO Y_X_Z]|gN`VMjsO Y]O
Vc`]O ^NWO c]O NO cNZVZO b_\O Y_dO d]O ^Y__Z]O M_O `Vv]O
our personal lives, but it cannot be a basis for the
laws we pass, not only because the holy books of
different religions do not have equal significance
for all Nigerians but also because the holy books
N\]O\]N[O[Vbb]\]WM`jOcjO[Vbb]\]WMOq]_q`]sOY]OVc`]RO
for example, also condemns fornication and
adultery and divorce, but they are not crimes.
For supporters of the law, there seems to be
something about homosexuality that sets it
NqN\MsOOZ]WZ]OMYNMOVMOVZOW_MO~W_\XN`szObOd]ON\]O
part of a majority group, we tend to think others
in minority groups are abnormal, not because
they have done anything wrong, but because
d]OYNv]O[]wW][OW_\XN`OM_Oc]OdYNMOd]ON\]ONW[O
since they are not like us, then they are abnormal.
Supporters of the law want a certain semblance
_bOYgXNWOY_X_k]W]VMjsOgMOd]O^NWW_MO`]kVZ`NM]O
into existence a world that does not exist: the
truth of our human condition is that we are a
diverse, multi-faceted species. The measure of
our humanity lies, in part, in how we think of
MY_Z]O[V*]\]WMOb\_XOgZsO]O^NWW_MOĂ&#x2013;OZY_g`[OW_MO
â&#x20AC;&#x201C; have empathy only for people who are like us.
Some supporters of the law have asked â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

marriage between a man and
what is next, a marri
NO [_kĂ&#x2122;zO \O ~YNv]O jj_gO Z]]WO NWVXN`ZO c]VWkO
ZMg[V]ZO ZY_dO MYNMO MY]\]O
kNjĂ&#x2122;zO P^MgN``jRO ZMg
behavior in many species
is homosexual beh
Â&#x20AC;gVM]O ZVXq`jRO q]_q`]O N\]O
_bO NWVXN`ZsQO gMRO Â&#x20AC;g
accept the premise â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that a
not dogs, and to acc
comparable to an animal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is
homosexual is comp
cannot reduce the humanity
inhumane. We can
men and women because
of our fellow m
of how and who they love. Some
animals eat their own kind, others
their young. Shall we follow
desert the
examples, too?
those ex
Other supporters suggest
Othe
that ggay men sexually abuse
`V`]O c_jZsO gMO q][_qYV`VNO
`V`]
and homosexuality are two
v]\jO[V*]\]WMOMYVWkZsOY]\]O
v]\
N\]O X]WO dY_O NcgZ]O `V`]O
N\
ggirls, and women who
NNcgZ]O `V`]O c_jZRO NW[O
we do not presume that
w
tthey do it because they
aare heterosexuals. Child
molestation is an ugly
m
^^\VX]O MYNMO VZO ^_XXV][O
bby both straight and
kkNjO N[g`MZO PMYVZO VZO dYjO
it is a crime: children, by
virtue of being non-adults,
vi
require protection and
re
are unable to give sexual
consent).
con
There has also been
Th
some nationalist posturing
among supporters of the law.

_X_Z]|gN`VMjO
VZO ~gWNb\V^NWRzO

_X_Z]|
they say, and
a we will not become
like the west.
The west is not
w
]|N^M`jO NO Y_X_Z]|gN`O
YNv]WĂ O N^MZO _bO
Y_X
discrimination against
homosexuals are
a
W_MOgW^_XX_WOVWOMY]OONW[Og\_q]sOgMO
W_MOgW^_XX_WOVWO
VMO VZO MY]O V[]NO _bO ~gWN
~gWNb\V^NWW]ZZzO MYNMO VZO M\g`jO
insidious. Sochukwuma
was born of Igbo
Sochukwu
parents and had Igbo grandparents and Igbo
k\]NMÂ&#x2C6;k\NW[qN\]WMZsO
]O dNZO c_\WO NO q]\Z_WO
who would romantically
love other men.
romant
NWjO Vk]\VNWZO pW_dO
pW_ Z_X]c_[jO `Vp]O YVXsO
The boy who behave
behaved like a girl. The girl who
c]YNv][O`Vp]ONOc_jsOY]O]*]XVWNM]OXNWsOY]O
unusual woman. These were people we knew,
people like us, born and raised on African soil.

_dOMY]WON\]OMY]jO~gWNb\V^NWĂ&#x2122;z
If anything, it is the passage of the law itself
MYNMO VZO ~gWNb\V^NWszO MO k_]ZO NkNVWZMO MY]O vN`g]ZO
_bOM_`]\NW^]ONW[O~`Vv]ONW[O`]MO`Vv]zOMYNMON\]OqN\MO
_bO XNWjO b\V^NWO ^g`Mg\]ZsO PWO Â&#x160;Â&#x152;xÂ&#x2030;ZO kc_`NW[RO
\]NO ^N]\O dNZO NO q_qg`N\O XgZV^VNWRO NO XNWO
who dressed like a woman, wore makeup,
q`NVM][OYVZOYNV\sO]O[_WzMOpW_dOVbOY]OdNZOkNjO
â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I think he was â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but if he performed today,
he could conceivably be sentenced to fourteen
years in prison. For being who he is.) And it is
informed not by a home-grown debate but by
a cynically borrowed one: we turned on CNN
NW[OY]N\[Od]ZM]\WO^_gWM\V]ZO[]cNMVWkO~ZNX]OZ]|O
XN\\VNk]zONW[Od]O[]^V[][OMYNMOd]ROM__ROd_g`[O
pass a law banning same sex marriage. Where,
VWOVk]\VNROdY_Z]O^_WZMVMgMV_WO[]wW]ZOXN\\VNk]O
as being between a man and a woman, has any
homosexual asked for same-sex marriage?
This is an unjust law. It should be repealed.
Throughout history, many inhumane laws
have been passed, and have subsequently
c]]WO \]q]N`][sO N\N^pO cNXNRO b_\O ]|NXq`]RO
would not be here today had his parents
obeyed American laws that criminalized
marriage between blacks and whites.
WON^Â&#x20AC;gNVWMNW^]O\]^]WM`jONZp][OX]RO~VbOj_gO
support gays, how would you have been
c_\WĂ&#x2122;zO bO ^_g\Z]RO MY]\]O d]\]O kNjO Vk]\VNWZO
when I was conceived. Gay people have
existed as long as humans have existed.
They have always been a small percentage
_bO MY]O YgXNWO q_qg`NMV_WsO ]O [_WzMO pW_dO
dYjsOYNMOXN]\ZOVZOMYVZĂ&#x20AC;O_^YgpdgXNOVZONO
Nigerian and his existence is not a crime.
Source: The Scoop

Y]O w\ZMO MVX]O O ]W^_gWM]\][O \sO
Femi Olugbileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s writing was on
the pages of Sunday Concord.
Between 1983 and 1985, he wrote
a column for that immensely
q_qg`N\OqNq]\OgW[]\OMY]O`]N[]\ZYVqO_bO]`]O
Giwa, the illustrious journalist who was
killed by a parcel bomb at the prime of his
life in 1986. In that column, Olugbile, the
Psychiatrist, combined journalistic and
literary gifts to persuade his compatriots to
treat the mentally challenged people with
compassion. Garnished with anecdotes, his
own emotional intelligence shined through
many of the pieces which made them very
compelling. You could feel in those essays
MY]O ZM\_WkO w^MV_WO VXqg`Z]O _bO MY]O VWb_\X][O
columnist.
I was not, therefore, surprised when, in
Â&#x160;Â&#x152;Â&#x2020;Â?ROYVZOw\ZMO^_``]^MV_WO_bOM]WOZY_\MOZM_\V]ZRO
Lonely Men, now published by Longman,
won the prose prize of the Association of
Nigerian Authors. I remember vividly that
on the award night at the University of Ife,
Olugbile was very reluctant to go to the
podium, apparently the author of Lonely
Men just wanted to be left alone. But he
eventually left the stage with grace. By the
time he won that award, he was only 32
years old with a University of Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Medicine and some
trophies in his pouch.
Since the publication of Lonely Men, Femi
`gkcV`]O YNZO d\V]WO Z_X]O q`NjZO b_\O MY]O
Nigerian Television Authorities, NTA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The
Hermit, Politics of Envy, Down at the Deep
and several episodes of playhouse. He has
N`Z_O d\V]WO NO W_v]`O MVM`][O Leaders! and Ten
Ahead! History of Table Tennis in Nigeria, in
between his numerous commitments to
his professional calling. There is a sense in
which his new collection of six short stories,
Heroes and Others, which he is presenting on
the eve of his sixtieth birthday, is a gift to
himself as a young senior citizen. As you
read Olugbileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stories, the irresistible power
of his style will remind you of some of the
masters of the short story form â&#x20AC;&#x201C; masters like
Raymond Carver, Nadine Gordimer, Ernest
Hemingway, Anton Chekhov, Chinua

Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiongo, and Alice
Monro, the Canadian short story writer who
won the Nobel Prize in Literature last year.
The stories in Heroes and Others are,
essentially, an inquiry into the dark side of
human nature, what pushes humankind
inexorably to the dark corner, and how
everyday heroism can redeem human beings
and propel them to greater heights. Olugbile
paints marvellously the aches in the heads
and hearts of his characters. He is not just a
near-perfect describer of things around these
characters, he is an excellent painter of their
interiorities. In a profound imaginative leap,
he gets inside the skin of his characters in
order to understand their thoughts processes.

]OMY]WO\]Mg\WZOdVMYO^_Ww[]W^]OM_OZYN\]OYVZO
wW[VWkZOdVMYOgZOdVMY_gMOq\VvV`]kVWkOYVZO_dWO
notions of truth.
Frank Karmode, the late Professor of
English at the University of Cambridge,
wrote in his magisterial book, The Sense
of an Ending: Studies in the Theory of
V^MV_WO MYNMO w^MV_WO VZO Z_X]MYVWkO d]O pW_dO
does not exist but which helps us to make
Z]WZ]O _bO MY]O d_\`[sO Y\_gkYO w^MV_WRO M_O
echo Chinua Achebe, we aspire to provide
ourselves a second handle on existence. To
be sure, the characters in Heroes and Others
[_WzMO ]|VZMRO MY]O Z]VWkZO VWO Nk_ZRO _W[_WO
and India, the peculiar dialogues and
VWM\V^NM]`jO d_v]WO g]\NW^]ZO VWO MY]O c__pO
are fabricated and the unique events only
occurred in the imagination of the writer,
cgMOZg^YOVZOMY]Oq\_b_gW[OqN\N[_|O_bOw^MV_WO
that the stories here are eternally true. They
mirror the complexity of our lives. They
\]Â?]^MO _g\O k__[O NW[O cN[O c]YNvV_g\ZsO O ZO
Olugbileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s characters seek for the sublime,
banality railroads them. As tragedy befalls
them tenderness somehow still prevails in
their lives. And because Femi Olugbile is
a wonderful story teller, he manages, with
absolute control, to turn us into willing
participants
in
the drama of his
characters existence.
The stream of
consciousness
M]^YWVÂ&#x20AC;g]RO Â?NZYcN^pZRO ZM_\jÂ&#x2C6;dVMYVWÂ&#x2C6;ZM_\jO
strategy the brilliant segmentation of the
stories and linguistic felicities all help to
smoothen the paths of Olugbileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s narration.

]OcgV`[ZO^_WÂ?V^MZOVWOMY]Z]OZM_\V]ZOdVMYOZgcM`]O
suspense and resolves them with temperance
and wisdom always associated with a good
judge. In all the six stories, the author takes us
through some of the wonders and terrors of
life. We meet the heroic. We meet the cowardly.
Femi Olugbile suggests that the line between
courage and cowardice, between honour and
shame, between loyalty and betrayal, between
holiness and devilry, is very thin indeed.
Consider the following monologue in the
w\ZMO ZM_\jO MVM`][O }]v]WMjĂ&#x20AC;O }YNMO d_g`[O
happen, Oluwatosin? She began, to him, in
her head. What would happen if I told you
who your father was? What would you say
if I told you your instinct for business, your
[]qMYO_bOMYVWpVWkROj_g\OY]N[Ob_\Owkg\]ZOdNZO
all too predictable, given that your father is
a captain of industry, acknowledged all over
Vk]\VNsO Y]O k_]ZO _WO M_O ZNjRO NX_WkO _MY]\O
MYVWkZĂ&#x20AC;O }YNMO ^N\O j_gO k_MO VWO j_g\O wWN`O j]N\O
in university in England â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it was his coming
of age present for you at twenty-one. The
acknowledgement he would ever make that
j_gO]|VZM][RONW[OVMO^NX]O_gMO_bOMY]Oc`g]sOYNMO
is from a successful school proprietress who
has just enjoyed her own lavish seventieth
birthday party. Her three children are doing
very well in their various professions. She has
been kind to others; her generosity of spirit
is the type that makes society grow. She is a
widow now in the twilight of her life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is
the time to sit back and count her blessings.
gMOMY]Ocg\[]WO_bOkgV`MO_bOY]\OqNZMOVWw[]`VMjO
weighs her down. How this otherwise upright

Olugbile
woman got pregnant for a philandering
^NqMNVWO_bOVW[gZM\jOVZONO[V*]\]WMO`Nj]\O_bOZM_\jO
that will make you sympathise a bit with the
old woman. This, by and large, shows that our
lives will always be full of memories of trials
and triumphs. Memories that bring regrets
and pleasures.
Consider also this passage from the second
ZM_\jRO}W[VNWO_M]Ă&#x20AC;O}O]W{_jOj_gOĂ&#x2013;OYNMzZO
dYNMO Y]O ZNV[O M_O j_gsO _gO Ă&#x2013;O XjO dVb]O Ă&#x2013;}O
]O
knew he was creating a scene. The Indians
standing by in the park had looked askance.
They gave them a wide berth. Rajiv, the
friendly pest, had taken a few steps backward
and stood in the middle of a footpath. His
mouth hung open. He could not care less.
He was beyond the pale. There were no
rules. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;He â&#x20AC;&#x201C; He enjoyed you â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perhaps he
still does â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you â&#x20AC;&#x201C; my wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. He could hear,
in his mind, the
crinkle of sheets, the
moaning of writhing
bodies. She was
crying too â&#x20AC;&#x201C; she was
upset because he was upset, and she was
X_\MVw][O NW[O ^_WbgZ][sO ~YNMO N\]O j_gO
talking about?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; He brought up the crumpled
paper and waved it under her nose, as if he
dNWM][OY]\OM_O^NM^YOZWV*O_bOY]\OZVWsO~]WjOVMsO
]WjOVMzsOY]OZWNM^Y][OMY]OqNq]\sOY]O`__p][O
NMOVMsO
]\ObN^]Ob]``sO~zXO[jVWkzROY]OZNV[sO~_O
you hear meâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;his voice had taken on an
edge of asperity. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The PS will soon have you
all to himself. You might have waited for me
to die before peeing all over my graveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. She
looked a hundred years old. Her hair clung
in wet strands to the sides of her face. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What
N\]Oj_gOMN`pVWkONc_gMĂ&#x2122;
Y]Od_XNWOVZONO_Ww[]WMVN`O]^\]MN\jOM_ONO
Permanent Secretary in one of the ministries
at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Lagos.
The PS who is a very good man is going
MY\_gkYONO[Vv_\^]sO
]OwW[ZOVWOYVZOZ]^\]MN\jO
a good company. One day, the man passes I
enjoy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you â&#x20AC;&#x201C; note to her. She takes the note
to the Head of Service, begging for transfer.
As soon as she gets transferred to another
XVWVZM\jROMY]Oc]Z_][ROYjq]\M]WZVv]OO[V]ZsO
Y]Ok\V]v]ZOb_\OMY]OXNWO[\Vv]WOM_OVWw[]`VMjsO
As a way of keeping the memory of the man,
she keeps the note which her husband, now
diagnosed with cancer, has found in his
wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closet, and brought to India where he
is being treated. Yet, for many years, when
he worked for an Italian oil company in
Port Harcourt, he was a philanderer. So on
which moral ground is he standing when he
expects his wife to be a saint? You see: life
is full of sinners who continue to pass harsh
judgement on the innocent.
}``Ob_\O_v]OVZONOZM_\jO_bOY_dONOq__\Okc_O
man, Papa Bomboy, who you will ordinarily
dismiss as carefree and wicked, decides to

Book Review

donate one of his kidneys to his daughter
who needs it to survive. It is a moving story
of everyday heroism which is not as simple
as I have summarised it here. For Femi
Olugbile problematises every story in this
collection, to show us that there is really
nothing called the truth but slices of truth.
WO}_OY]OVkYMOYVWkROd]OYNv]ONW_MY]\O
Lagos State Secretariatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story. Tejumade, a
d]``Â&#x2C6;`_v][OZZVZMNWMOV\]^M_\OVWOMY]OVWVZM\jO
of Works, who is also a pastor in one of the
major Pentecostal churches in Lagos, is
caught looting the treasury in a syndicate
involving others by the new auditor, a good
fanatical Muslim. The narrator tries to blame
VMO_WOMY]OZjZM]XOMYNMOXNp]ZO`Vb]O[VA^g`MOb_\O
retirees who are not directors or permanent
secretaries to survive on their pensions. But
is that enough reason to steal? The author
invites us to a debate on that.
WO}WOMY]OgcNVO_gM]ZRO`gkcV`]OM]``ZOMY]O
ZM_\jO_bOYN[VNRONO{gWV_\OZMN*RONkNVWROVWO_W]O_bO
the ministries in Lagos State Secretariat who,
in order not to steal, actually combines her
job in her ministry with trading. Helped to
Z]^g\]OdNVv]\ZOcjOY]\OgZM_XZOA^]\Ob\V]W[RO
ZY]O c\VWkZO VWO k__[ZO b\_XO gcNVsO YN[VNRO
an hitherto poor woman, can now pay her
childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school fees and give her husband
some pocket money. The sobering part is that
ZY]OVZOW_MOYNqqjONc_gMOY]\O]|M\NXN\VMN`ON*NV\sO
The last story, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Sunday Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which,
OXgZMO^_Wb]ZZ][ROO\]N[Ow\ZMOc]^NgZ]OOdNZO
curious to know what Olugbile thinks of
a newspaper editor and my profession,
turns out, to my relief, to be a celebration
of journalistic gifts. A woman rises to the
pinnacle of her profession in The Express,
a widely read Sunday paper in Lagos.
Y]O [_]ZO W_MO _W`jO dVWO MY]O ^_Ww[]W^]O _bO
the owner of the paper, who loves her
to the very end of his life, she is also well
respected by the governor of Lagos State.

]\O \]Â?]^MV_WZO _WO MY]O ZMNM]O _bO _g\O ^_gWM\jO
are spot on. Is this Olugbileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way of telling
us that honest, gripping, entertaining and
MY_gkYMbg`O^\]NMVvVMjOXN]\ZĂ&#x2122;
Finally, let me return to Frank Karmode.
Y]WOY]Od\_M]OMYNMOw^MV_WOY]`qZOgZOM_OXNp]O
sense of our world, he was not talking about
YN`bÂ&#x2C6;cNp][Ow^MV_WsO
]OdNZOMN`pVWkO_bOw^MV_WO
forged in the furnace of great ideas because
ideas are the fuel of civilisation. Part of the
ZVkWVw^NW^]O_bO]XVO`gkcV`]zZOZM_\V]ZOVZOMYNMO
they recall what an American Methodist
Bishop, John H. Vincent, said many many
years ago, that there are more dynamite in a
great idea than in many bombs.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Mr. Kunle Ajibade, Executive Editor
of TheNEWS/P.M.NEWS read this review
on Thursday, February 13, 2014 at Protea
Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

here is an African saying that
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nobody can run away from
his shadow.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It is based on this
adage that one could appreciate
MY]O ]*_\MZO _bO _[gq]O WVMV\VÂ&#x2C6;
Abiola, the author of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Farewell to Poverty:
Let There Be Light in Africa,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; who is one
of the surviving wives of one of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
legendary philanthropists, late Chief
s
ssOcV_`NO_bOc`]ZZ][OX]X_\V]Zs
In the musings of the small but well
loaded 32-page book, which the author use
to honour her late husband and all great
leaders of Africa who were assassinated
[g]O M_O MY]V\O []ZV\]ZO NW[O ]*_\MZO M_O XNp]O
Africa a great continent, one could vividly
remember the good plans her late husband
had for not only the masses of Nigeria but
Africa as a whole.
She is optimistic that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the light of
glory will shine over Africa, and the
continent will say farewell to poverty
when there is the eradication of poverty,
war, hatred, disunity, bad governance,
corruption,
injustice,
inequality,
ignorance,
homelessness,
diseases,
hunger, immorality, fear, among other
clogs hindering development.â&#x20AC;?
However,
other
things
causing
setback to the continent listed in the
book include illiteracy, hopelessness,
self condemnation, foreign debts,
neo-colonialism, misappropriation of
wealth, mismanagement of resources,
instability, abuse of power, insecurity,
abuse of human rights and destruction of
environment, which the author describes
as evil bondage.
Pinpointing the major reasons why
MY]O XNZZ]ZO _bO b\V^NO N\]O Zg*]\VWkRO MY]O
c__pO _*]\ZO MYNMO }VMO VZO NO bN^MO MYNMO NO `_MO _bO
resources in Africa have been taken away
from the continent. It is also a fact that the
remaining wealth and resources of the
continent do not reach the populace in
Africa.â&#x20AC;?
The author laments that the unfortunate
reality is that most Africans do not know
the value or the usage of their mineral,
natural and human resources. She says
â&#x20AC;&#x153;In my opinion, there are three sets of
k\_gqZO VWÂ?g]W^VWkO NW[O ZYNqVWkO b\V^NsO
The objectives and ultimate goals of the
three sets of groups interested in the
N*NV\ZONW[OVZZg]ZObN^VWkOb\V^NON\]OvN\V][sO
Y]Ow\ZMOVZOMY]O~VkW_\NWMOk\_gqRzOVkW_\NWMO
of the problems and issues facing Africa.
The major interest of this group is to get
total power, keep power, and stay in
power for the sake of powerâ&#x20AC;Ś regardless
of the will of the peopleâ&#x20AC;Ś This group has
no ability or desire to solve any of the
crises and problems facing Africa.
}Ă&#x203A;MY]O Z]^_W[O k\_gqO N\]O MY]O ~Z]`wZYO
groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; who understands the magnitude
of the problems and issues facing
b\V^NĂ&#x203A;gWb_\MgWNM]`jRO MYVZO Z]`wZYO k\_gqO
of fortune hunters would rather not do
anything because, solving the problems
facing the continent is not economically

Onitiri-Abiola
advantageous
to
themâ&#x20AC;Ś this group
also
works
in
collaboration
with
the ignorant group to
perpetuate poverty and crises in Africa.â&#x20AC;?
Y]ONgMY_\OV[]WMVw]ZOMY]OMYV\[Ok\_gqONZO
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the voice of the people,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the great
leaders of the people.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; She explains that
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This group is of the smallest percentage.
The group knows the problems and issues
facing Africaâ&#x20AC;Ś the desire of this very
small group is to see Africa and Africans
Â?_g\VZYsO YVZO k\_gqO c]`V]v]ZO VWO gZVWkO
wealth and resources of Africa for the
c]W]wMZO_bOb\V^NWZs
On this basis, she calls on Africans to
wake up from their slumber and use the
\]Z_g\^]ZO NMO MY]V\O [VZq_ZN`O M_O c]]\O MY]V\O
lives. This is a good call, but the average
modern African is in bondage of neocolonialism by political hyenas, tigers,
lions, tigresses and lionesses at the helms
_bOq_`VMV^N`ON*NV\ZsO_ZMOb\V^NzZOZ_O^N``][O
leaders are worse than the imperial
masters that raped the continentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s human
and natural resources directly in the past.
It is very sad that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dog has been eating
dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Africa after the exits of the foreign
explorers who made things fall apart on
the continent for centuries. Therefore, the
author speaks in the spirit of an angelin-human-form, who wants the future of
Africans to be secured by Africans with all
the blessings of the continentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealth and
resources.
In this vein, she canvasses for the true
practice of democracy by genuine African
leaders. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bad leadership is due to the

lack of love and
the act of being
VW[V*]\]WMO
M_O
the plight of the
people
being
governed. Bad leadership unfortunately
Â?_g\VZY]ZO _WO XVZXNWNk]X]WMO _bO d]N`MYO
and resources. A bad leadership always
swims in corruption. A corrupt leader
will become a dictator by abusing power
and disregarding all forms of human
rights. This is the reason Africans must
be educated to be truly democratic; only
the will of the people must exist and
survive. The genuine government of the
people, by the people, and for the people
must survive in Africa for prosperity
to perpetuate,â&#x20AC;? the author vehemently
posits.
This is a very good prescription by the
author to make Africa a great place for all
Africans and others living in it to enjoy. But
the issues raised in the book are not new
to the hearings of many African leaders
whose only area of specialisation has been
incurable rigmarole in governance.
She also wonders why African countries
^_WMVWg]OM_Oc_\\_dOb\_XOb_\]VkWOwWNW^VN`O
institutions when the continent could take
care of its peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs without foreign
suicidal loans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The act of bad leaders
enslaving their people with foreign debts
and poverty while the rich nations help
the bad leaders one way or the other to
perpetuate the evil act, goes deeper than
MY]_\]MV^N`OwWNW^VN`O]|q`NWNMV_WsOOc]`V]v]O
the situation is beyond what the eyes can
see on the surface, because why should the
leading nations be supporting a system
of government that makes it impossible

Book Review

POEM
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretend
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretend everything was okay
When I was born like having everything to myself
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretend I never went to school
Like it was just party all day and earning free food
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretend that dreams come true
"#$%&'$($%)*+%-.%+/0$("-1%2.(%&'$%3./&'
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretend that power supply in this country
Was so perfect like we never slept a night
"&'./&%$4$5&("5"&3%&*#"-1%.0%"-%2("1'&
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretend we have good educational standard
Like you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to know the vice chancellor
Before you gain admissionâ&#x20AC;Ś
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretend
I hope you comprehend.
Copyright: Okodua Eseose

to repay the loans, and at the same time,
oppress and degrade the people?â&#x20AC;? the
author says philosophically.
The answer to her pondering is not
farfetched. What has been happening
in Africa simply means that the African
masses are not yet free from previous
international colonial slavery. The past
VXq]\VN`VZMZO ZVXq`jO gZ]O Z_X]O Z]`wZYO NW[O
dull-headed so called African leaders
to perpetuate the stealing of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
resources even after several orchestrated
independence from colonial rule. This is
_W]O_bOMY]OMYVWkZO`NM]OYV]bOs
ssOcV_`NO
was trying to stop from continuing before
he was stylishly and devilishly eliminated
by those God knows best, during his
]*_\MZO M_O N^MgN`VZ]O MY]O XNW[NM]O kVv]WO
him by the Nigerian masses through the
June 12, 1993 election that was wickedly
annulled. A school of thought is also
suspicious that the western worlds were
culprits in his death as a result of his call
for reparation to Africa by the former
colonialists, for all the evils they did to
Africans during the eras of slavery and
imperialism.
It is in the light of the immediate past
paragraph that the author emphasises that
â&#x20AC;&#x153;a great leader will provide employment
to many young, unemployed graduates
interested in agricultural sector. Jobs
should be provided in the areas of
food production, food storage, natural
preservation, distribution and salesâ&#x20AC;Ś
developing the rural areas will discourage
the migration of farm workers to overcrowded cities where there is high rate of
unemployment.â&#x20AC;?
There are potpourris of several good
prescriptions in the book. But such
goodies which the masses of many foreign
countries take for granted, while African
masses give testimonies of receiving
such as miraculous happenings in their
life whenever they enjoy such basic
rights by chance at their place of work
or environment. The African populace
has been reduced to the barest level of
wretchedness by many evil politicians,
to the extent that, when a mere sachet of
water is given to them, they go to religious
places to proclaim that God has blessed
them miraculously. What a pity!
By and large, the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple
diction and prescriptive necessities to
XNp]O `Vb]O c]]\O b_\O b\V^NWO XNZZ]ZO N\]O
highly commendable. She writes with
a deep passion as someone who has
YgXNWVMN\VNWO b]]`VWkZO b_\O MY]O Zg*]\VWkO
masses, just like her late husband, who
was the most detribalised politician
Nigeria ever had. Perhaps, it is in the
light of this, that she has choose to
resurrect the true order of democracy
b_\OMY]Oc]W]wMO_bONk_ZOXNZZ]ZOMY\_gkYO
Accord Party, come 2015 for the Lagos
State gubernatorial election. There is a
saying that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nothing is impossible before
God.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hence, may Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wish be done
VWO `VW]O dVMYO _[gq]O WVMV\VÂ&#x2C6;cV_`NzZO
desire to put smiles on the faces of
Lagosians in accordance with what true
democracy entails, which are the meat
and potatoes of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Farewell to Poverty: Let
There Be Light in Africa.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
_[gq]O WVMV\VÂ&#x2C6;cV_`NO dNZO VWv_`v][O
as a politician during her late husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
presidential campaign in 1993. She was
also an activist during the struggle against
dictatorial military regimes that frustrated
her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s democratic goodies for the
masses.
At present, she is a business broker,
consultant and realtor. She studied
WM]\WNMV_WN`O NWNk]X]WMO NZO NO XN{_\O
and International Politics as minor
programmes, at the Sacred Heart
University, Connecticut, United States of
America.

ith the prevailing need to
bring about the greatly
needed change that will
visibly turn the wheel of
progress and in a more
realistic manner, bring the dividends
of democracy to the grassroots, a group
made up of citizens of Cross River
State has called for good governance.
The group, Conference of Cross River
Professionals made this known at their
media presentation recently.
The organisation is an informal group
of professionals, from various vocational
endeavours and training, who have
been meeting and networking for the
common good of individual members.
^^_\[VWkOM_OA_WkOj_WkRONOX][VNO
expert and consultant, who also doubles
as the convener and co-ordinator of the
group, the professionals are a group of
individuals from Cross River State who
have come together with a common
VWM]\]ZMO M_O Z]]O M_O MY]O c]]\X]WMO _bO MY]O
lives of the people of Cross River State
citizens at home and abroad.
In shedding more light, he explained
that the idea actually started when
some groups of professionals operating
[V*]\]WM`jO ZMN\M][O X]]MVWkO b_\O MY]V\O
individual interests on the way forward
for each of the groups. The professionals
^_XVWkO b\_XO [V*]\]WMO Â&#x201A;_W]ZO VWO MY]O
ZMNM]Ă&#x20AC;O MY]O _\MYO _bO \_ZZO Vv]\ZO MNM]Ă&#x20AC;O
Ugep, Boki, Ogoja, Obubura; the Central
and the Southern Cross Rivers state of
Akpabuyo, Calabar, Bakassi, and Creek
Town decided to form one strong group
after streamlining the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
frame work through consensus for
common good of the citizenry of Cross
Rivers State.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;First, it is good to come together as
one body from all the geographical
expressions called Cross River State
to be able to be of help to one another,
assist one another, grow in togetherness
and share what we think we should be
doing for one another.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Importantly, also to look at the things
that are going on in the state and think
of how we can contribute towards lifting
the status of the state and the lives of
the people knowing very well that the
[V*]\]WMO N[XVWVZM\NMV_WZO MYNMO YNv]O
come in Cross River State, both past
and present have done their best in their
abilities and capacities,â&#x20AC;? he said.
The founding principal objectives of
the group therefore are visibly spelt out
to include: care for one another, network
among members, develop and sustain
interest in the events and activities of
Cross River State and ultimately act
as a pressure group with the resolve
to positively impact on the lives of the
various communities that make up the
ZMNM]O MY\_gkYO [V*]\]WMO q`NMb_\XZO Zg^YO
as arts, culture, media, social service,
business relations and lately, politics.
The co-ordinator of the group agreed
however that the past administrations
in the state since 1999 tried to achieve a
lot but their best cannot be described as
total because there are some other things
MY]jO^_g`[OYNv]O[_W]Oc]]\sO
Paramount among them is in the area of
personnel and human capacity because
evidently, lots of Cross Riverians who
N\]O d]``O ][g^NM][O VWO [V*]\]WMO w]`[ZO
of endeavours; arts, sciences, media,
technology, etc who are not resident in
the state but are found in Lagos, Abuja
and other places are not engaged in the
task of running the state as it is.
The group in a communiquĂŠ stated
clearly that it has become very clear to
them as professionals that they cannot
continue to isolate ourselves from the
political and social happenings in their
various communities, back home.
While not trying
outrightly to
condemn all that has been done in the
state since 1999 they noted that even as

Conference of Cross River
professionals advocates good
governance
Lots of Cross
Riverians who are
well educated in
>@HH9:9<=M9U>KFH
endeavours; arts,
sciences, media,
technology, etc
who are not
resident in the
state but are
found in Lagos,
Abuja and other
places are not
engaged in the
task of running
the state as it is

b\_WM`VW]\ZOVWOMY]V\O[V*]\]WMOq\_b]ZZV_WN`O
b\_WM`VW]\Z VW MY]V\ [V*]\]WM q\_b]ZZV_WN`
leanings, they have either been
ignored or sidelined by the successive
administrations in the state over the
years and therefore have resolved to get
involved, by working with any receptive
individual or group that is found to be
open to ideas of opening Cross River
State to fresh innovative ideas that are
aimed at adding value to life in the state.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;That is why when you go to Cross
River State, you see non-indigenes of the
state holding key functional positions
and we are not saying that employing
non-indigenes are wrong but there are
VW[Vk]W]ZO _bO MY]O ZMNM]O dY_O N\]O c]]\O
Â&#x20AC;gN`Vw][O NW[O YNv]O W_MO c]]WO kVv]WO NO
chance at all to serve and who will be
willing and gladly want to contribute
their quota. People like that are
everywhere without being harnessed.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, we thought that irrespective of
where we reside we have something
to contribute but you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to
have a feel because the administration
back home has refused to tap into the
ingenuity of these individuals. The
successive administrations in the state
have not done well in that regards and
MYNMOd]OdVZYOM_OVWÂ?g]W^]OW_dOd]OMYVWpO
we have a voice,â&#x20AC;? he said.
In making the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agitation
relatively adaptive to the peculiar
situations in Cross River State so that
quantum success could be achieved
according to the set agenda, the convener
VWb_\X][O MYNMO MY]O w\ZMO MYVWkO VZO M_O ^_X]O
together which has been achieved. The
next line is to begin to network and
]|q`_VMO N\]NZO _bO c]W]wMO NW[O XgMgN`O
advantages.

Gov. Imoke

Citing instances with himself as a
media practitioner who has been in the
media for over two decades and has
N^MgN``jOd_\p][OVWON``OMY]O[V*]\]WMOb_\XZO
of the media; print, radio, television,
satellite broadcast and all, he said there
are some others that are into technology,
law, properties, agriculture, medicine,
pharmaceuticals and have excelled in all
w]`[Zs
Therefore, having achieved that, the
other option becomes how to let the state
government know that they have all the
competent hands to run the state instead
of going to bring foreign hands to run
the state.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to let the government
know that we even have people who
are competent enough to even be the
rector of the Institute of Management in
Cross River State instead of going out to
employ someone.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to let our state government
know that there are professionals of the
ZMNM]O Z^N]\][O N``O _v]\O MY]O ^_gWM\jO NW[O
the world, instead of making it look like
we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have competent people in the
state and therefore have gone to engage
people from outside to come and take
over and run the jobs that the indigenes
are looking for, let the professionals
from the state be engaged.â&#x20AC;?
He likened it to crying of hunger
in your fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, while inside

the same house others are eating to
satisfaction.
Adding that people ironically meet
j_gO NW[O _*]\O M_O VWM\_[g^]O j_gO M_O j_g\O
state government in order to give you a
{_cO X]NWdYV`]O j_gO N\]O X_\]O Â&#x20AC;gN`Vw][O
than the man that want to do the
introduction.
In driving home his point, he said that
the professionals need to come together
and look for ways of assisting the
government to ensure that the dividends
of democracy are made to reach the
grassroots.
He called that if tourism is the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
major stay, how to harness all what the
past administrations has achieved and
the present administration in the state
consolidated should be their objective.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will not agree with anyone who
succeeds as governor to destroy what
Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke has
achieved over these years probably
because he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree with them.
Our position will be that he will build on
what has been done already in terms of
seeking ways of improving on them and
for the mistakes made, how to correct
them will be the best sought solution
VWZM]N[O_bOwkYMVWkOq]_q`]s
As part of their statement, it called on
members to use their various platforms
VWO M]\XZO _bO v_^NMV_WZO M_O VWÂ?g]W^]O MY]V\O
Continued on page 62

62

Daily Newswatch

Super Friday

Friday, February 21, 2014

Conference of Cross River professionals
advocates good governance

Nyong
Continued from page 61

immediate communities both at home in
Cross River State and their bases.
Other media to be explicitly explored
to the advantage of the group is the
use of the social media, electronic
media â&#x20AC;&#x201C; functional Radio and TV, Print:
newspapers, magazines, etc.
Each of these media will be exploited
in relation to needs and objectives of the
organisation.
Meanwhile, despite the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major
aim not to be run as a political forum,
everybody is a political animal and it
is on this premise that the conference
agreed to play prominent roles in the
politics of the state by looking into who
MNp]ZO_v]\OMY]OY]`XO_bON*NV\ZO_bOMY]OZMNM]O
government.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to know who will bring
the dividends of democracy, who do
we cast our vote for, in as much as we
as an organisation tries as much to be
apolitical, we will not remove the fact
that there are certain things we must
know. We want to know who want to
take over from Liyel Imoke; we want
justice to be done. We want to know
how things are going on in Cross River
State and how to correct past mistakes.â&#x20AC;?
Nyong also informed that as
professionals, nothing stops them from
going into politics but that does not
XNp]O MY]O q\_b]ZZV_WN`ZO bg``Â&#x2C6;Â?][k][O
politicians.
}Vp]O j_gO N\]O VWO XjO _A^]O NW[O ^NWO
see that am working but that does not
mean that am not interested in what
happens to the people of Calabar south,
I am interested in what happens to the
people of Bakassi who are supposed to
YNv]Oc]]WOZ]`][OZVW^]OÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2030;Â?ONW[OMV``OW_dO
MY]jO YNv]O W_MO c]]WO Z]`][sO Y]jO YNv]O
no proper accommodation, no schools,
and the gendarmes of Cameroun are
still harassing our people, killing our
wZY]\X]WOÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2C6;O[NjOVWRO[NjO_gMsO_ROO^NWW_MO
say because am not into full-time politics
as a card carrying member of any party,
itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not supposed to interest me that my
brothers are being killed at home. For
sure, I must be interested,â&#x20AC;? he stressed.
Speaking further, he said that the
group will be a pressure group and hope
M_ONqq`jOVMOVWOk]VWkOMYVWkZO[_W]OdY]\]O
they are needed. He said that they have
to embark on constructive engagement
with the government.
He added that they are packaging
themselves for the national conference,
through the delegates. He said that the
Conference of Cross River Professionals
might not have been allocated any space
but there are individuals from the state
that are selected as delegates, whose
candidacy they intend to engage in
pushing their thoughts through.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will not sit back and relax on the
premise of not being given a slot in the

Confab; we will engage the individuals
that have been chosen to drive home our
points. We are not comfortable with the
issues surrounding Bakassi; the stance of
the federal government, the international
court ruling and compliance by the
Nigerian government. How do you
cede land and the people and till date
the people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a home. They are
Z^N]\][O N``O _v]\O MY]O q`N^]RO VWO N`X_ZMO
Â&#x160;Â&#x2030;O j]N\ZO W_MYVWkO YNZO YNqq]W][RO Y]O
exclaimed.
Pointedly, Nyong analysed the
concern on past appeals of the Bakassi
case at the international court of justice
which Nigeria failed to do and have
since closed the case. He said that the
poignant issue being lost is the human
beings, culture and lives of the people so
it will be unfair to close up mankind like

He further
pointed that
there would have
been a plebiscite
on whether to
belong to Nigeria
or to Cameroun,
just like how it
was done in the
days of western
Cameroun
now southern
Cameroun
even before
independence

that because rules and laws are made for
mankind and not vice versa.
Referring copiously that Israel is
occupying the Gaza Strip against United
Nations resolution because it is expedient
for the Israeli to hold on to Gaza for their
national interest and the interest of their
people. So regardless of what anybody
XVkYMOZNjROMY]jOd_WzMON*_\[OM_O`]MOk_O_bO
NÂ&#x201A;NO c]^NgZ]O `]VWkO k_O _bO NÂ&#x201A;NO XVkYMO
jeopardise their interests as they think.
gMO VWO Vk]\VNRO MY]O ^NZ]O VZO [V*]\]WMO
because we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really care as he put
it. As far as we are concerned in this
country, it is about, â&#x20AC;&#x153;who are the Bakassi
people?â&#x20AC;? and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t value lives
because if we do we would have done
things right.
He further pointed that there would
have been a plebiscite on whether to
belong to Nigeria or to Cameroun,
just like how it was done in the days
of western Cameroun now southern
Cameroun even before independence.
The people of Biya opted out of
Nigeria in the days of National Council
of Nigeria and Camerouns (NCNC). If
those Cameroonians were allowed to
vote in those far gone days, how come
we were not allowed to vote in the recent
times? He asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You take our land,
Z^N]\O_g\Oq]_q`]ROMNp]O_g\O_V`Od]``ZONW[O
you say the case is closed. No, it cannot
be closed unless our consciences are
closed,â&#x20AC;? he cried.
Going further, he said that the group is
q\]Z]WM`jOqgVWkOM_k]MY]\OMY]V\OMY_gkYMZO
on the next government of Cross River
MNM]ONW[OdYNMOM_O[_OM_ON\N^MOVWM]\]ZMOM_O
their cause.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We said that they we will play
prominent roles when the time comes.
Presently, we have mobilised our
members everywhere and informing
them to look at the structure of the state
in spite of itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being a PDP state.
He stated that the Southern part
q\_vV[][O MY]O w\ZMO k_v]\W_\O dYV^YO dNZO
Donald Duke, the central has produced
Liyel Imoke and we believe that is
should be rational for the next governor
to come from the Northern part of Cross
River State for the purpose of equity and
fairness.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;On that mission, we have mobilised
ourselves. The Northern Cross River of
course constitutes Obudu, Ogoja etc and
they should produce the next governor
of the state. There are quite a number
of top individuals that have shown
interest like Jedi Agba, whom people are
reaching out to contest as a tool that will
bring about positive changes in the state.

However, we have not said that other
candidates from other parts of the state
are not credible but we are saying that
these other regions have ruled and so
let the Northern people of the state also
have their chance.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are others too, Fidelis Ugbo,
Venacious Ikem, whom I heard is about
to run and some other names that I
^NWW_MO^_Ww\XO\VkYMOW_dsOgMOdY_]v]\O
comes on will have our backing.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Regardless of the party platform that
the persons might choose to contest, we
will appeal to them to let the Northern
Cross River produce the next governor
for the sake of equity. We are working at
it as a conference and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure we will be
able to pull it through,â&#x20AC;? he said.
Though the whistle has not been
blown in a manner of speaking because
the candidates have not declared and the
parties have not chosen their candidates
but going by what is obtainable, the
Northern Cross River should produce
the next governor of the state and
having said that, it is afterwards that the
conference will look at the candidates
that have emerged from Northern Cross
River and choose who to queue behind.
Though there are no particular
guidelines yet by the group in choosing
who to support but the indications are
MYNMOMY]jOdV``O[]wWVM]`jO^Y__Z]OdY_OdV``O
best serve the interests of Cross River
people.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know the credible candidates in
spite of our not living in the state. Though
I live in Lagos State, but I move round
the whole parts of Cross River State. As
the co-ordinator of the forum I have to
be on ground to see things for myself
and ascertain the level of development
in the whole state because a lot is
expected of me in terms of information
dissemination to other members of the
group. Our position is join hands with
any individual that has the interest of
the state at heart,â&#x20AC;? he stressed.
The conference moreover is not inclined
to any political party in particular; they
are inclined to all individuals that want
M_O XNp]O NO [V*]\]W^]O cjO c\VWkVWkO Nc_gMO
change because political parties are not
run on the basis of ideologies in Nigeria,
and that is why there have been a lot of
cross-carpeting and wanton defections.
He opined that people are changing
parties like changing dresses because
the parties ideologies are probably not
[V*]\]WMROY]OZNV[OMYNMOVMO^N``ZOM_OÂ&#x20AC;g]ZMV_WO
what we are out to achieve politically.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have known some individuals at the
very topmost level who have gone back
NW[Ob_\MYO[V*]\]WMOqN\MV]ZsOY]jOd]\]OVWO
PDP, left to contest election in another
party, left again to return to PDP and
not only return to the fold of PDP, they
b_\X][O NO [V*]\]WMO qN\MjO _bO dYV^YO MY]jO
are not members.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;That tells you that we are not playing
the politics of ideology in Nigeria; in that
case, we as professionals of Cross River
State will align with any individual
whom we are able to identify as good
persons that mean well for the progress
of the state and make a change in the
lives if the people of the state.â&#x20AC;?
In conclusion, Nyong is hopeful that
the group can sustain this, â&#x20AC;&#x153;we hope
that we will be strong enough to stand
w\XROd]OY_q]OM_Oc]O^_g\Nk]_gZO]W_gkYO
to withstand blackmail because it will
come. People have found reasons to talk
together as a group and be heard rather
than as individuals. There are so many
Z_^V_Â&#x2C6;q_`VMV^N`O k\_gqZO MYNMO `V]\O MY]O
whole landscape of Nigeria.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are however pushing forward
with this idea and hope that God will
grant us the strength to be steadfast.â&#x20AC;?
ZONOXN]\O_bObN^MROMY]Ok\_gqOYNZOc]]WO
meeting informally for the past two years
NZONWO]X]\k]W^]O_bOMY]OwpO\_b]ZZV_WN`ZO
before expanding into a conference that
have in the last six months stretched out
to become an umbrella body that has
now grown in capacity to incorporate
and cater for the needs of a whole lot of
other pockets of groups from the state as
Conference of Cross River Professionals.

taking homeless children to care for
them is well-established in Islam. Given
these facts, it is somewhat startling to
hear Muslims assert that adoption in
prohibited in Islam. The confusion is
_v]\O MY]O q\]^VZ]O []wWVMV_WO _bO MY]O M]\XO
adoption. We shall seek to clarify the
issue here.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Islam form of adoption is
called kafala, which literally means
sponsorship, but comes from the root
Dr. Mashuud Fashola with Alhaji Ahmed Al-Hassan and Dr. Yekeen Habeeb at the 15th workshop of Ansrullah of Ahmadiyyah
word meaning â&#x20AC;&#x153;to feed.â&#x20AC;? It is best
Muslim Jumaat.
translated as â&#x20AC;&#x153;foster parenting. Kafala,
or legal fostering, is the promise to
TAYO SALAMI
modesty exist between the grown child her under his/her wing for providing undertake without payment, the
both
physical
and
spiritual
care
for
and
adoptive
family
members
of
the
rophet Muhammad (SAW)
upkeep, education and protection of a
him/her. The Prophet (SAW) said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The minor, the same way a father would do
once said that a person who opposite sex.
best
house
of
Muslims
is
one
where
an
â&#x20AC;&#x153;If
the
child
is
provided
with
property/
cares for an orphaned child
for his son.â&#x20AC;?
will be in Paradise with him, wealth from the biological family, orphan is cared for.â&#x20AC;?
While stating the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;anic verse where
Islamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
stance
on
adoption
rests
on
adoptive
parents
are
commanded
to
and they would be as close as
adoption was stipulated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Allah has not
the
necessity
of
keeping
the
biological
take
care
and
not
mix
the
property/
Md_O wWk]\ZO _bO NO ZVWk`]O YNW[sO MO ^_g`[O
made your adopted sons your sons.
be recalled that the Prophet was an wealth with their own. They serve parents of the child always in picture, Such is (only) your (manner of) speech
keeping
the
original
name
of
the
child,
merely
as
trustees.â&#x20AC;?
orphan, it is not surprising He paid
by your mouths. But God tells (you) the
These Islamic rules emphasizes on the NW[O `]VWkO MY]O ^YV`[O pW_dO dY_O MY]O Truth and He shows the (right) Way.
Zq]^VN`ON]WMV_WOM_OMY]O^N\]O_bO^YV`[\]WsO
real
parents
are.
These
are
some
of
the
adoptive
family
that
they
should
not
He himself adopted a former slave and
Call them by (the names) of their fathers:
raised him with the same care as if he take the place of the biological family. conditions stipulated by the Shari`ah that is more just in the sight of God but
when
legalizing
fostering.
The
reasons
They
are
trustees
and
caretakers
of
were his biological son.
if ye know not their fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (names call

_d]v]\RO MY]O g\zNWO kVv]ZO Zq]^Vw^O someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s child. Their role is very are -- in Islam, children have automatic them) your brothers in faith. But there
rights
to
inheritance,
they
cannot
^`]N\`jO
[]wW][RO
cgMO
W]v]\MY]`]ZZO
v]\jO
rules about the legal relationship
is no blame on you if ye make a mistake
marry their Mahrams (unmarriageable therein: what counts is the intention of
between a child and his/her adoptive valued and important.
persons)
and
they
can
marry
from
their
It
is
also
important
to
note
that
in
Islam,
family. The childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biological family is
your hearts: and God is Oft-Returning
never hidden; their ties to the child are the extended family network is vast and foster family if no suckling took place.
Most Merciful.â&#x20AC;?
Dr.
Imad-ad-Dean-Ahmad
said
very
strong.
It
is
rare
for
a
child
to
be
W]v]\O Z]v]\][sO O Y]O g\zNWO Zq]^Vw^N``jO
However, Ahmad said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Islam does
the
most
famous
orphan
in
Islamic
completely
orphaned,
without
a
single
reminds adoptive parents that they
not ban adoption, but only says that the
culture
is,
without
doubt,
the
Prophet
family
member
to
care
for
him
or
her.
are not the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biological parents:
use of the word, sonâ&#x20AC;? with respect to an
Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an 33 verse 4-5 states that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;...Nor Islam places a great emphasis on the Muhammad. His father died before he adoptee is just a phrase and not a blood
was
born
and
by
the
time
he
was
eight
ties
of
kinship,
a
completely
abandoned
has He made your adopted sons your
or genetic fact. Nor should it be inferred
(biological) sons. Such is (only) your child is practically unheard of. Islamic he had lost both his mother and the that it is prohibiting the use of the word
grandfather
who
named
him.
Therefore,
law
places
an
emphasis
on
locating
a
(manner of) speech by your mouths.
son (in a metaphorical sense), since it
But Allah tells (you) the Truth, and He relative to take care of the child, before He was raised by his Uncle Abu Talib should then logically follow that the
shows the (right) Way. Call them by allowing someone outside the family to who was his protector until his own term brother (explicitly approved in the
death.
(the names of) their fathers; that is just adopt the child.
text) would also have to be prohibited
Speaking further, he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;When for the same reasons. The purpose of the
Adoption in the sense of changing
in the sight of Allah. But, if you know
not their fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s names, call them your oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity and lineage for a false Muhammadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife Khadijah gave to verse is clearly to prevent drawing legal
brothers in faith, or your trustees. But lineage is prohibited in Islam; but at the him a slave named Zaid, Muhammad restrictions from the metaphorical use
there is no blame on you if you make a same time, it is allowed for Muslims to freed the boy and raised him as if he of the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;sonâ&#x20AC;? in describing a foster
mistake therein. (What counts is) the adopt a child in the sense of taking him/ were his own son. The importance of relationship.â&#x20AC;?
intention of your hearts. And Allah is
Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.â&#x20AC;?
The guardian/child relationship has
Zq]^Vw^O \g`]ZO gW[]\O Z`NXV^O `NdRO dYV^YO
\]W[]\ZO MY]O \]`NMV_WZYVqO NO cVMO [V*]\]WMO
than what is common adoption practice
he
Ahmadiyya
Muslim
today. Some of the rules in Islam
Jamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;at, Nigeria, holds its
surrounding this relationship include:
â&#x20AC;&#x153;An adopted child retains his or her
third Northern region Jalsa
own biological family name (surname)
Tarbiyyat (conference on keynote address of the conference other Muslims on their rights and
and does not change his or her name to moral training), between Friday, theme. The conference is part of obligations to their Creator (Allah)
match that of the adoptive family.
28th February and Sunday, 2nd MY]O
NXNzNMzZO ]*_\MZO M_O ][g^NM]O MY]O and responsibilities to humanity
â&#x20AC;&#x153;An adopted child inherits from his or March, 2014 at the Abuja Central members on Islamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspectives on and society at large. It is also to
her biological parents, not automatically Mosque of the Jamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;at, Plot 579, the contemporary challenges of our promote the spirit of friendship,
from the adoptive parents.
Independence Avenue (Behind time, particularly, the challenges good neighbourliness and spiritual
â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the child is grown, members of
Honda Place), Central Business of nationhood as we mark our and moral rejuvenation.
the adoptive family are not considered
Speakers have been carefully
countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s centenary anniversary
blood relatives, and are therefore not District, Abuja.
selected to present papers at the
The theme of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference this year.
muhrim to him or her. Muhrim refers
According to the deputy leader of conference. Conference participants
M_O NO Zq]^Vw^O `]kN`O \]`NMV_WZYVqO MYNMO is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Islamic model for national
the Jamaat,(Naib Amir North), Dr are expected from all branches of
regulates marriage and other aspects reconciliation & re-birthâ&#x20AC;?. The
of life. Essentially, members of the Amir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Yakeen Habeeb, the Jamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;at would the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;at
adoptive family would be permissible as Jamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;at, Nigeria, Dr. Mashood use the opportunity of the conference throughout Nigeria, especially those
possible marriage partners, and rules of Adenrele Fashola, would deliver the to educate members as well as in the northern region.

he Lagos State Secretariat
mosque in Alausa, Ikeja,
dNZO w``][O M_O MY]O c\VXO NZO
it played host to Islamic
Z^Y_`N\ZO NW[O vN\V_gZO Z`NXV^O
_\kNWVZNMV_WZO dY_O d]\]O VWO N]W[NW^]O
for the launch of a book entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Born
to be, a reminiscing and counselling
Nc_gMO `VvVWkO NgMY_\][O cjO MY]O b_\X]\O
general secretary of the Federation of
Muslim Women Association of Nigeria
PQRO`YN{NO
YNV\NMO_[VÂ&#x20AC;s
Apart from the author being a former
[]qgMjO [V\]^M_\O VWO MY]O _A^]O _bO MY]O
Auditor General of the Federation, she
is also the national general secretary of
Jama-at-ul-Islamiyya Society of Nigeria,
MY]O w\ZMO b]XN`]O M_O _^^gqjO Zg^YO q_ZMO
with immense contributions to the
q\_qNkNMV_WO_bOMY]O\]`VkV_WO_bOq]N^]s
Undoubtedly, as represented in the
c__pRO `YN{NO _[VÂ&#x20AC;O YNZO Z]]WO VMO N``sO
From her humble beginning through
her sojourn in life with her Jihad in
MY]O ^_g\Z]O _bO ``NYRO MY]O WVv]\ZVMjO _bO
Lagos accountancy graduate and an
assessor and examiner to the Institute
of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria
PQOb_\OÂ&#x160;Â&#x201E;Oj]N\ZO[]wWVM]`jOYNZO]v]\jO
^NgZ]OM_Ok`_\VbjO``NYs
Therefore, it was no surprise when
eminent
personalities
thronged
the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque
Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, for the
presentation of the richly and IslamX_MVvNM][OÂ&#x152;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2C6;qNk]ONgM_cV_k\NqYjO_bONWO
V^_WOVWOZ`NXs
Y]O ]v]WMRO dYV^YO c]kNWO _WO NO q\Nj]\O
note featured recitation from the Quran,
soul inspiring lectures by eminent
Z`NXV^O Z^Y_`N\ZRO c__pO \]vV]dRO NW[O
_bO ^_g\Z]O MY]O YVkYÂ&#x2C6;q_VWMO _bO MY]O ]v]WMO
dYV^YOdNZOMY]OgWv]V`VWkONW[O`NgW^YVWkO
of the book with goodwill messages and
Zq]^VN`Oq\Nj]\Ob_\OMY]ONgMY_\s
Chief Imam of Victoria Garden City
Muslim Community Mosque (VGC),
`YN{VON_wÂ&#x20AC;OddN`RO[]`Vv]\][OMY]OZ_g`Â&#x2C6;
inspiring lecture while the daughter of
the author, Lateefah Oluwakemi Sodiq,
NO`Ndj]\RO\]N[OMY]OcV_k\NqYjs

While commending the author for a
brilliant piece, the Chief Imam enjoined
Muslim women to be outstanding in
MY]V\O^Y_Z]WOw]`[ZO_bO]W[]Nv_g\Zs
According to him, the Muslim
community needs more of Alhaja Sodiq
to propagate Islam and as well uplift the
Z_^V]Mjs
Y]O c__pO dNZO \]vV]d][O cjO ^YV]bO
]|]^gMVv]O_A^]\O]]WO_XXgWV^NMV_WZO
Limited, Mr Mudathir Niyi Sanuth and
Mrs Mujidat Olagunju of the Voice of

It is a good book;
it has a story of
life that has gone
through ups and
downs and has
succeeded. For
women, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not
easy in life to
juggle education,
marriage and
carrier. So, to see
a book written
about the stress of
all these, I think
itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something
encouraging

Vk]\VNOPQs
\ZO `NkgW{gO YNV`][O MY]O NgMY_\zZO
^\]NMVvVMjsO Y]O c__pRO ZY]O ZNV[RO VZO W_MO
d\V]WOVWOMY]OgZgN`ONgM_cV_k\NqYjOdVMYO
YVZM_\jONW[O[NM]sO
}_gOd_g`[ONqq\]^VNM]OMY]Oc__pOVbOj_gO
N\]O NO ^\]NMVv]O q]\Z_WO b\_XO NO ^\]NMVv]O
q]\Zq]^MVv]sO_ZMONgM_cV_k\NqYjOVZOW_WÂ&#x2C6;
w^MV_WOcgMOMYVZO_W]OVZO`Vp]ONOw^MV_WOcgMOVMO
\]N`O `Vb]O ]|q]\V]W^]Ă O ZY]O YN[O NO XV|Mg\]O
_bOq\_Z]ONW[Oq_]M\jsOMzZOW_MOMY]OW_\XN`O
^_Wv]WMV_WO _bO NWO NgM_cV_k\NqYjRO ZY]O
ZNV[s
^^_\[VWkO M_O Y]\RO MY]O NgMY_\zZO
N^^]qMNcV`VMjO_bO[]ZMVWjONV[ZOY]\OZg^^]ZZs
â&#x20AC;&#x153;She is able to accept that Allah is the
[\Vv]\O_bOY]\O`Vb]sOYNM]v]\O`Vb]OMY\_dZO
at her, she has been able to situate what
``NYO YNZO ~
N[N\zO P[]ZMVW][QO b_\O Y]\sO
_O b_\O MYNMRO ZY]O dNZO Nc`]O M_O X_v]O bN\sO
She was able to appreciate things that
YNv]O YNqq]W][O VWO Y]\O `Vb]O ]v]WO dY]WO
ZY]O XN[]O XVZMNp]ZĂ O ZY]O dNZO Nc`]O M_O
Nqq\]^VNM]O MY_Z]O XVZMNp]ZO c]`V]vVWkO
MYNMROMY]jON\]ON``Ob\_XO``NYsO_ROZY]O[V[O
not cry too much and she did not laugh
too much which is part of lessons from
\_qY]MOgYNXXN[ROZY]OZNV[s
The chief launcher Senator Khairat
Gwadabe, described the book as a must
\]N[sO }MO VZO NO k__[O c__pĂ O VMO YNZO NO ZM_\jO
of life that has gone through ups and
[_dWZONW[OYNZOZg^^]][][sO_\Od_X]WRO
VMzZOW_MO]NZjOVWO`Vb]OM_O{gkk`]O][g^NMV_WRO
XN\\VNk]ONW[O^N\\V]\sO_ROM_OZ]]ONOc__pO
d\V]WO Nc_gMO MY]O ZM\]ZZO _bO N``O MY]Z]RO
O MYVWpO VMzZO Z_X]MYVWkO ]W^_g\NkVWkRO
including men who see that you can
be a husband and still be in charge
NW[O kVvVWkO j_g\O dVb]O N``O MY]O b\]][_XsO
VMY_gMO Y]\O YgZcNW[zZO Zgqq_\MRO ZY]O
d_g`[WzMOYNv]ON^YV]v][ON``O_bOMYVZsO_gO
^NWO Z]]O MYNMRO MYNMO VZO NO `]ZZ_WsO Y]O kNv]O
total submission to her husband and
MY]WOY]O]`]vNM][OY]\ROZY]OZNV[s
Senator Gwadabe described Alhaja
_[VÂ&#x20AC;ONZONWO_gMZMNW[VWkOq]\Z_WN`VMjsO
}Y]O c]`V]v]ZO ZM\_Wk`jO VWO Y]\O \]`VkV_WO
NW[OZMV^pZOM_OMY]Oq\VW^Vq`]ZsOY]O[_]ZWzMO
`V]Ă OdYNM]v]\OZY]OZNjZROMYNMOVZOY_dOVMOVZO
k_VWkOM_Oc]ONW[OZY]OVZONO[_kk][OwkYM]\sO
When she goes on to a course, she runs
dVMYOVMsOY]O[_]ZWzMOkVv]OgqO]NZV`jROZY]O

he black seed has been used by
Muslims for many years. It is
not only a prophetic herb, but it
also holds a unique place in the
medicine of the Prophet.
It is unique because it was not used
abundantly before Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) made its usage popular. The usage
and popularity of the black seed is widely
known as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;remedy of the Prophet.â&#x20AC;? A
large part of this herbal preparation is
based on the teachings of the Prophet.
The black seed is rich in nutritional
vN`g]ZsO MO ^_WMNVWZO N`X_ZMO Â&#x2039;Â&#x2030;Ă¤O w|][O _V`ZO
and 1.4% volatile oils. It also contains about
wbM]]WONXVW_ON^V[ZROq\_M]VWZRO^N`^VgXROV\_WRO
sodium, and potassium. Among its most
]*]^MVv]O^_Xq_ZVMV_WZON\]OMYjX_Â&#x20AC;gVW_W]RO
dithymoquinone, thymohydroquinone,
and thymol.
Black seed is high in protein,
^N\c_Yj[\NM]ZRO ]ZZ]WMVN`O bNjO N^V[ZRO
vitamins A, B1, B2, C and niacin as well
as calcium, potassium and iron. It also
provides nutrients recommended in
preventing disease and slowing down the
aging process.
In addition, Dr. Michael Tierra, author of
Planetary Herbology found a remarkable
number of sterols, especially betasitosterol, which is known to have anticarcinogenic properties in black seed.
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet
said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Use this Black Seed regularly,
because it is a cure for every disease, except
death.â&#x20AC;? (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
However, black seed oil is derived by
pressing the seeds of the Nigella Sativa
plant. The seeds are also commonly
referred to as black cumin. Apart from
the oil that is got from the seed, black seed
itself can be chewed and it can be grinded
into powder form.
According to Barrister Habeeb Lawal,
the black seed is recommended by the
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Khalid
bin Sad narrated that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We went out and
Ghalib bin Abjar was accompanying us.
He fell ill on the way and when we arrived

Medina, he was still sick. Ibn Abi â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Atiq
came to visit him and said to us, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Treat him
dVMYOc`N^pO^gXVWsONp]Owv]O_\OZ]v]WOZ]][ZO
and crush them, mix the powder with oil
and drop the resulting mixture into both
nostrils, for Aisha narrated to me that
she heard the Prophet saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The black
cumin is healing for all diseases except AsSam.â&#x20AC;? Aisha asked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;what is As-samâ&#x20AC;? the
Prophet replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Death.â&#x20AC;?
Speaking further, Lawal said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since
1959, over 200 studies have been carried
out at various international universities.
Also, articles published in various
journals have shown remarkable results
supporting its traditional uses. The nigella
sativa seed contains numerous esters of
ZM\g^Mg\N``jO gWgZgN`O bNjO N^V[ZO NW[O MY]O
chemical composition is very rich and
diverse. Apart from its active ingredients,
crystalline nigellone, it contains amino
acids (including eight of the nine essential
_W]ZQRO^N\c_Yj[\NM]ZRObNjON^V[ZOVW^`g[VWkO
linolenic and oleic, volatile oils, alkaloids
NW[O[V]MN\jOwc\]ONZOd]``ONZOXVW]\N`ZOZg^YO
as calcium, iron, sodium and potassium.
Recent research on black seed as an
NWMVcV_MV^RONWMVÂ&#x2C6;MgX_g\RONWMVÂ&#x2C6;VWÂ?NXXNM_\jRO
anti-histaminic,
anti-bacterial,
antibronchial and immune boosting agent has
shown great promise.â&#x20AC;?
Lawal noted that, black seed has been
used in treating a variety of ailments and
conditions related to respiratory health,
stomach and intestinal complaints, kidney
and liver function, circulatory and immune
system support and to improve health in
general.

]O ^`NZZVw][O MY]O gZNk]ZO _bO c`N^pO Z]][O
into the following:
Cough and asthma relief -- The antiVWÂ?NXXNM_\jONW[ONWMVÂ&#x2C6;cN^M]\VN`Oq\_q]\MV]ZO
of black seed oil help treat the symptoms
of acute asthma and coughs by relaxing
bronchial muscles. For asthma, mix a
teaspoon of black seed oil in boiling water
and inhale the vapour twice a day. For dry
coughs, mix a teaspoon of black seed oil
VWM_ONO^gqO_bOkVWk]\OM]NO_\O^_*]]ONW[O[\VWpO

twice a day. For other types of coughs,
massage a small amount of the oil over the
centre of your chest.
Backache and other kinds of
rheumatism -- Mildly heat a small amount
of black seed oil and then stroke the
rheumatic area intensely. A teaspoon of
the oil should also be drunk three times
daily.
Diabetes -- Mix a cup of whole black
seeds, a cup of watercress or mustard
seeds, half a cup of pomegranate peel and
half a cup of fumitory. Grind the mixture
to powder. Take half a teaspoon of the
mixture together with a teaspoon of black
seed oil daily before breakfast for a month.
Diarrhea -- Mix a teaspoon of black
seed oil with a cup of yoghurt. Drink the
mixture twice daily until the symptoms
disappear.
Flu and nasal congestion -- Placing three
to four drops of black seed oil in each
nostril can relieve nasal congestion and
head cold distress.
Hair loss -- Stroke the scalp thoroughly
with lemon and leave for about 15 minutes.
Shampoo, wash and dry hair thoroughly.
Then massage black seed oil into the scalp.
Drink a teaspoon of black seed oil mixed
VWOM]NĂ&#x2026;^_*]]s
Hay fever -- One tablespoon of black
seed oil mixed with a glass of lemon should
be taken twice daily until symptoms
disappear.
Headaches -- Rub the forehead and the
sides of the face near the ears with black
seed oil and bandage the head. Also, a
teaspoon of black seed oil should be taken
before breakfast.
Healthy being -- To maintain good
health, take a teaspoon of black seed oil
mixed with one teaspoon of pure honey
twice daily.
Healthy complexion -- Mix a tablespoon
of black seed oil with a tablespoonful of
olive oil. Rub the face with this mixture
NW[O`]Nv]Ob_\ONMO`]NZMO_W]OY_g\sONZYO_*O
with soap and water afterwards.
Hypertension -- Mix any drink with a

teaspoon of black seed oil and also take
two lobes of garlic every morning with
breakfast. Rub the body with black seed
oil and expose your body to sun rays for
half an hour once every three days. Repeat
for a month.
Laziness and fatigue -- One tablespoon
of black seed oil with a glass of pure orange
juice should be taken every morning for at
least ten days.
Memory improvement -- A teaspoon of
Black seed oil mixed in 100mg of boiled
mint for at least 15 days.
Muscular pains -- Black seed oil has been
found to contain strong anti-spasmodic
NW[O NWMVÂ&#x2C6;VWÂ?NXXNM_\jO VWk\][V]WMZsO
Y]\]b_\]RO VMO VZO ]*]^MVv]O VWO q\]v]WMVWkO _\O
easing muscle spasms and cramps. Simply
XNZZNk]O c`N^pO Z]][O _V`O _WM_O MY]O N*]^M][O
area once in the morning and once before
going to bed. You can alternatively add
one teaspoon of black seed oil in a cup of
chamomile tea and drink it at night.
Nervous tension stress -- A teaspoon of
c`N^pOZ]][O_V`OdVMYONO^gqO_bOM]NĂ&#x2026;^_*]]OM_Oc]O
taken three times daily.
Sexual impotency -- Mix 200g of ground
black seed with olive oil, 100g of ground
olibanum, 50g of black seed oil, 50g of
olive oil and 200g of pure honey. Mix
thoroughly and take a tablespoon after
every meal.
Sleeping disorder/Insomnia -- Studies
have shown that black seed oil can help
eliminate sleep disorders. Simply mix a
tablespoon of black seed oil with into a hot
drink one hour before bed time for a good
nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sleep.
Toothache and gum pain -- Cook black
seeds with vinegar, then add black seed
oil. Black seed oilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anti-bacterial and antiVWÂ?NXXNM_\jO q\_q]\MV]ZO N\]O k\]NMO b_\O
treating toothaches.
Other uses of black seed oil are:
Allergies -- Black Seed Oil acts as an
antihistamine which helps to reduce
the common symptoms of allergies
(watery eyes, sneezing). Simply take half
a teaspoon of the oil twice a day when
allergy symptoms begin to appear.
Flu and fever -Black Seed Oil has been found to help
reduce fever, by inducing perspiration
which helps the body cool and stimulate
the release of toxins. Take one teaspoon of
c`N^pO Z]][O _V`O _W^]O NO [NjO dY]WO Â?gĂ&#x2026;b]v]\O
systems occur. Ensure to drink plenty of
Â?gV[ZOMY\_gkY_gMOMY]O[NjsO
Boil -- Studies have shown that the antifungal properties of black seed oil and its
active component Thymoquinone help
strengthen the immune system and cure
many common skin infections including
boil. Simply take half a teaspoon of black
seed oil twice daily, it can be mixed with
hot or cold beverage.
Nausea and stomach upset -- Studiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;
have shown that black seed oil acts as a
wonderful remedy for stomach ailments
by stimulating digestion and inducing the
expulsion of gas. For nausea and upset
stomachs, mix half a teaspoon of fresh
ginger juice with half a teaspoon of black
seed oil and take twice a day.
To this end, it should be noted that there
are many substandard products of black
Z]][O _V`O VWO MY]O XN\p]MsO Y]\]b_\]RO ]*_\MZO
should be made to get the quality product
dYV^YO d_g`[O []wWVM]`jO jV]`[O q_ZVMVv]O
results when taken.
FEEDBACK
Dear Tayo,
Assalam alaikum. What is the health
implication of consumption of dates by a
diabetic?
Dear anonymous,
Wa alaikum salam. Consumption of
dates by a diabetic must be minimal
because of its sugar contents; hence, there
is a limit to its consumption by a diabetic.

_d]v]\RO MY]\]O N\]O Z_X]O Y]N`MYO c]W]wMZO
a diabetic can derive from eating dates.
Dates can be substituted for meals high in
carbohydrate because it provides energy;
VMO ^_WMNVWZO [V]MN\jO wc\]O dYV^YO Y]`qZO VWO
absorption of cholesterol in the body. Date
also, contains some essential nutrients
needed in the body.

72

Daily Newswatch

Friday Sermon

Friday, February 21, 2014

Beware of the day of mutual
meeting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Imam Mumeen

SUBAIR MOHAMMED

SUBAIR MOHAMMED

W

hen is the day of mutual
meeting? It is a day
when every creature
will be in the presence
of his/her lord. When
he/she will be faced with reality that
neither both parents could facilitate a
bail-out; it is a day when every soul will
be accountable for his sojourn on earth.
The day as narrated in surat Al-maarij,
many creatures see the day as distant
but as Allah sees it, it is near.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indeed, they see it (as) distant, But
We see it (as) near. On the Day the sky
will be murky oil, And the mountains
will be like wool, And no friend will
ask (anything) of a friend, they will be
shown each other, the criminal will wish
that he could be ransomed from the
punishment of the day by his children,
and his wife and brother. And whoever
shelter him, and the nearest kindred
who shelter him.... No! Indeed, it is the
Â?NX]OP_bO
]``Qs
This was the warning from a
renowned Islamic scholar, Sheik Imam
Mumeen Mohammed, urging Muslims
faithful to always be mindful of their
g]\NW^]ZO NW[O []][ZRO dY]\]v]\O MY]jO
XNjO wW[O MY]XZ]`v]ZO NZO MY]O [NjO _bO
mutual meeting is approaching.
At a Jumaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t service held recently at
MY]O`NwNO]WM\N`O_ZÂ&#x20AC;g]RONk_ZROY]VpO
Mohammed, making copious references
to both the holy Quran and sayings
of Prophet Mohammed, enjoined the
congregation not to backslide.

]O ^YN\k][O MY]XO M_O ^_WMVWg]O M_O `Vv]O
righteous lives and do good deeds, even
in the face of economic depression and
other human challenges as our hereafter
is more important than the pleasures of
this earth.
According to the Imam, a Muslim, at
all times, must live and relate to his or
Y]\O b]``_dO YgXNWO c]VWkZO dVMYO NÂ&#x20AC;dNRO
which is the fear of Allah.
This, he added, ensures the rightness
of our actions and behaviour in the
community, which will eventually
enable us to gain the pleasure of Allah.

]OMY\]dONOq_Z]\OM_OMY]O^_Wk\]kNMV_WO
[g\VWkO MY]O Z]\X_WĂ&#x20AC;O
_dO _bM]WO [_O j_gO
put into consideration the fact that Allah
knows both your spoken or unspoken
intention when you set out to take any
action? Are you always conscious of the
fact that nothing you do passes the sight
_bO ``NYĂ&#x2122;O O _]ZO MY]O d_\[O NÂ&#x20AC;dNO NW[O
what becomes of you in the hereafter
make any meaning to you?
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being righteous is the basis of Islam
and one of the most important concepts
in Islam.â&#x20AC;?
According to him, the messenger of
``NYO ZNV[O VWO NO
N[VMYO \]q_\M][O VWO MY]O
NYVYOgZ`VXOMYNMO}NÂ&#x20AC;dNOVZOY]\]RONW[O
he pointed to his chest.â&#x20AC;?
WO_MY]\Od_\[ZROMY]OXNXOZNV[ONÂ&#x20AC;dNO
has nothing to do with worldly things,
but what you harbour in your mind;
what you perceive your creator to be
NW[O j_g\O \]`NMV_WZYVqO dVMYO j_g\O _\[O
and other people.

]O ZNV[RO }MO VZO `N^pO _bO MY]O b]N\O _bO
Allah that brings about corruption in
government, embezzlement of public
funds and unlawful killings of innocent
souls in the name of religion.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is no alternative to the fear of
Allah; it is what every Mumeen must
possess. It is not restricted to a particular
sect or group; it is also not restricted to
a particular profession or person. The
fear of Allah is a must for all who aspire
for peace of mind and a contented heart.
_O ]ZMNc`VZYO NÂ&#x20AC;dNO VZO b_\O MY]O \V^YO NW[O
the poor, the knowledgeable and the
uneducated, the leader and the follower,

the ruler and the ruled, old and young,
men and women.â&#x20AC;?
Imam Mumeen also addressed the
congregation on the importance of
making the fear of Allah as the basis of
our actions.
Aware that many may have gone
back to their sinful deeds soon after
repentance, he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The essence
of being aware of the day of mutual
X]]MVWkOVZOb_\OMY]ONNVWX]WMO_bONOc`VZZbg`O
hereafter and fear of Allah; and the only
way to achieve this is to shun what is
bad and uphold what is good.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;But how do we know what is bad?
YNM]v]\Oj_gON\]Oq\_g[OM_Oc]OV[]WMVw][O
with in the public is what is good, while
whatever you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want people to see
you do or whatever deeds or behaviour
you hide from public glare is what is
bad. But Allah knows best.
}Y]O g\NWV^O []Z^\VqMV_WZO _bO NÂ&#x20AC;dNO
(fear of Allah) are so precise and distinct
that it is an indication of the importance
of the involvement of this concept in
the life of Muslims. Numerous verses
]`Nc_\NM]O MY]O [V*]\]WMO [jWNXV^ZO NW[O
[VX]WZV_WZO_bOVWW]\OX]NWVWkZO_bONÂ&#x20AC;dNO
that enables Muslims to be an ideal
and a living example as a vicegerent of
Allah.â&#x20AC;?

]RO Y_d]v]\RO ZMNM][O MY]O k__[O []][ZO
that the Quran enjoins us to do,
adding that â&#x20AC;&#x153;A good Muslim must be
full of Ibadah (worshipping), such as
_cZ]\vVWkO Z_`NMZO NW[O WNÂ?NMZĂ O Y]O XgZMO
N]W[O MNbZV\ZO dVMYO ^_WZMNWMO \]^VMNMV_WO
_bOMY]Og\NWONW[O_*]\VWkOZgqq`V^NMV_WZO
NW[O Y]O XgZMO N`Z_O ]WkNk]O VWO N[NÂ&#x20AC;NYO
(charitable activities) like feeding the
poor and giving alms to the needy etc.â&#x20AC;?
Sheik Mumeem berates Muslims
that only engage in charitable acts at a
Zq]^Vw][Oq]\V_[ZsO
]OZNV[RO}bO_W`jOMY]O
d]N`MYjO NW[O NĂ&#x201D;g]WMO pW_dO MY]O \]dN\[O
in alms-giving, they will engage in it
all the days of their lives. But here we

But how do we
know what is
bad? Whatever
you are proud
=FQ9@>9<=@M9>
with in the
public is what
is good, while
whatever you
donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want people
to see you do or
whatever deeds
or behaviour you
hide from public
glare is what is
bad. But Allah
knows best

N\]ROYN\[`jO[_OMY]jO^_X]OM_OMY]OX_ZÂ&#x20AC;g]O
for congregational prayers. As a result,
they are unable to identify the needs of
]v]\jOX]Xc]\O_bOMY]OX_ZÂ&#x20AC;g]s

]ON`Z_O]W{_VW][OgZ`VXZOM_Od_\ZYVqO
``NYO dVMYO gMX_ZMO b]N\sO
]O N`Z_O XN[]O
copious references to the Quran,
particularly Quran 2: 3, where Allah
says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who believes in the unseen and
are steadfast in prayer and spend out
of what we have provided for them.â&#x20AC;?
kNVWO Y]O Â&#x20AC;g_M][O g\NWO Â&#x2026;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x201E;RO dY]\]O
Allah says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are on true guidance
b\_XOMY]V\O_\[RONW[OVMOVZOMY]Z]OMYNMOdV``O
prosper.â&#x20AC;?
Sheik Mumeen further appealed to
all wealthy Muslims to aid the cause of

Allah by spending for the propagation
of Islam.

]O ZNV[O NZO MY]jO [_O MYVZRO ``NYO dV``O
[]wWVM]`jO \]q`]WVZYO MY]V\O Z_g\^]ZsO
]RO
however, urged them not to limit their
spending only to a particular period or
sect.
ZOVMOVZOZMNM][OVWOMY]Og\NWOÂ?Â&#x201E;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x192;RO}W[O
will provide for him from where he
does not expect. And whoever relies
gq_WO ``NYRO MY]WRO
]O VZO ZgA^V]WMO b_\O
him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish

Even scientists and
science as a branch
of knowledge
has proven that
there is one thing
Allah is incapable
of doing; which
is; the fact that
Allah is incapable
of expressing
erroneous ideas.
So, Quran being
the word of Allah
is incapable
of containing
erroneous facts

he
Presidency
y e s t e r d a y
denied that the
suspension of the
Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) Governor,
Mallam Lamido Sanusi had
anything to do with the
ongoing investigations over
N``]k][O gW\]XV][O bgW[ZO
by the Nigerian National
Petroleum
Cooperation
(NNPC), just as it said the
suspension was not out
of law given the weighty
VWb\N^MV_WZO ^_XXV][O cjO
Sanusi.
The denial is coming
on the heels of more
revelations on the series
_bO VWb\N^MV_WZO ^_XXV][O
by the suspended CBN
Governor, which among
others
include
gross
breaches of the Public
Procurement Act, reckless
use of funds in executing
of about 63 intervention
projects across the country
with over N163billion
without
authorization,
Â&#x20AC;g]ZMV_WNc`]O d\VM]Â&#x2C6;_*O _bO
N40 billion loans of a bank
and Financial infractions
NW[O N^MZO _bO wWNW^VN`O
\]^p`]ZZW]ZZO
^_XXV][O
by the Central Bank as
\]Â?]^M][O VWO VMZO Ng[VM][O
wWNW^VN`OZMNM]X]WMZO_bOÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;s
The Special Adviser to
the President on Media
and Publicity, Dr. Reuben
Abati who briefed State
House
Correspondents
on the suspension of the
Governor, reassured the
investing public that they
should not entertain any
anxiety since the action
[V[O N*]^MO MY]O X_W]MN\jO
policy of the apex bank and
Nigeria in general.
He gave more insight into
MY]OwWNW^VN`O\]^p`]ZZW]ZZO_bO
the CBN Governor saying,
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The second concern that
has been expressed has to
[_OdVMYOMY]OVZZg]O_bOwWNW^VN`O
recklessness. I will like to
say that there were issues of
wWNW^VN`O \]^p`]ZZW]ZZO NW[O
unprofessional conduct but
that did not happen today.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not as if this is a
sudden
development,
but that has been a long
process dating back to last
year. Last year when the
OZgcXV][OVMZOwWNW^VN`O
statement for the year
]W[][OÂ&#x192;Â&#x160;ZMO]^]Xc]\ROÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;RO
a query was raised about
some of the issues in the
wWNW^VN`OZMNM]X]WMONW[OMY]O
CBN governor was asked to
_*]\OZ_X]O^`N\Vw^NMV_WOdVMYO
regards to these issues.
}YVZO dNZO N\_gW[O w\ZMO
d]]pO _bO NjRO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x192;sO O
response came from the
CBN which was then
forwarded to the Financial
Reporting
Council
of
Nigeria. And the Financial
Reporting
Council
of
Vk]\VNO cjO VMZO N^MO VZO
empowered to review
the accounts of the CBN
and if there is course
for investigation and to
conduct such investigation.
And if there is need also
to invite other bodies to
further investigate, the law
makes allowance for that.
On the outcomes, he said

MY]O wWNW^VN`O \]^p`]ZZW]ZZO
points to the following
including, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The persistent
refusal and negligence
to comply with public
procurement act in the
procurement
practices
of the CBN; unlawful
expenditure by the CBN on
intervention projects across
the country deploying
huge sums of money as
the CBN did under the
watch of MallamSanusi
without appropriation and
outside the CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statutory
mandate.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is said that the
expenditure
of
public
funds of course by any
organ
of
government
must be based on clear
legal mandate, prudent
constrain and overriding
national interest. And then
wWNW^VN`O VWb\N^MV_WO NW[O N^MO
_bO wWNW^VN`O \]^p`]ZZW]ZZO
^_XXV][O cjO MY]O O
NW[O\]Â?]^M][OVWOVMZONg[VM][O
wWNW^VN`OZMNM]X]WMOb_\OÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;s
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The review by the
VWNW^VN`O
]q_\MVWkO
Council of Nigeria rather
than alley the fears of
government
further
^_Ww\X][O ^_W^]\WZO Nc_gMO
the untidy manner in which
MY]ON*NV\ZO_bOMY]OOd]\]O
conducted.
The
particulars
of
the infractions against
Sanusi as articulated by
the Financial Reporting
Council of Nigeria include
the following:
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Persistent refusal and/or
negligence to comply with
the Public Procurement
Act in the procurement
practices of the Central
Bank of Nigeria.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(A) By virtue of Section
15 (1)(a) of the Public
Procurement
Act,
the
provisions of the Act
are expected to comply
to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;all procurement of
goods, works and services
carried out by the Federal
Government of Nigeria and
all procurement entities.
YVZO []wWVMV_WO ^`]N\`jO
includes the Central Bank
of Nigeria.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(B) it is however
\]k\]Nc`]O MYNMO MY]O ]WM\N`O
Bank of Nigeria, under
your
leadership,
has
refused and/or neglected to
comply with the provisions
of the Public Procurement
Act (PPA). You will recall
that one of the primary
reasons for the enactment
of the PPA was the need
to promote transparency,
competitiveness,
cost
_bO
]*]^MVv]W]ZZO
NW[O
professionalism in the
public sector procurement
system.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(C) Available information
indicates that the Central
Bank has over the years
engaged in procurement of
goods, works and services
worth billions of Naira each
year without complying
with the express provisions
of the PPA.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(D)
by
deliberately
refusing to be bound
by the provisions of the
Act, the CBN has not
only decided to act in an
unlawful manner, but has
also persisted in promoting

Sanusi

a
governance
regime
^YN\N^M]\VZ][O cjO wWNW^VN`O
recklessness, waste and
impunity, as demonstrated
cjO MY]O ^_WM]WMZO _bO VMZO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;O
Financial Statements.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unlawful expenditure
by the Central Bank of
Nigeria on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Intervention
Projectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;
across
the
country including: (A)
the unacceptable level
_bO wWNW^VN`O \]^p`]ZZW]ZZO
displayed by the leadership
of the Central Bank of
Vk]\VNO VZO MjqVw][O cjO MY]O
execution of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Intervention
Projectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; across the country.
From available information,
the bank has either
executed or is currently
executing about 63 such
projects across the country
NW[O YNZO ^_XXV][O _v]\O
N163billion on them.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(B) it is inexcusable and
patently unlawful for any
agency of government
to deploy huge sums of
money as the CBN has
done in this case, without
appropriation and outside
CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statutory mandate. It
is trite that the expenditure
of public funds by any
organ of government must
be based on clear legal
mandates, prudent costing
and overriding national
interest.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Financial infractions and
N^MZO_bOwWNW^VN`O\]^p`]ZZW]ZZO

^_XXV][O cjO MY]O ]WM\N`O
NWpO NZO \]Â?]^M][O VWO VMZO
Ng[VM][OwWNW^VN`OZMNM]X]WMZO
_bO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x20AC;O PQO qg\ZgNWMO M_O
Section 50 of the CBN Act
Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2030;xRONO^_qjO_bOMY]ONg[VM][O
wWNW^VN`O ZMNM]X]WMZO _bO MY]O
CBN for the year ended
Â&#x192;Â&#x160;ZMO ]^]Xc]\O Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;O dNZO
sent to Mr. President. Based
on the issues raised in
MY]O wWNW^VN`O ZMNM]X]WMRO NO
reinsertion was requested
from you to enable a proper
appreciation of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
economic outlook.
:(B) the response to this
query was further referred
to the Financial Reporting
Council of Nigeria. The
review by the council,
rather than allay the fears
of government, further
^_Ww\X][O ^_W^]\WO Nc_gMO
the untidy manner in
which you have generally
conducted the operations of
the CBN.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of the salient
observations arising from
the review are: (A) in a
most ironical manner,
it has become obvious
that the CBN is not able
M_O q\]qN\]O VMZO wWNW^VN`O
statements using applicable
International
Financial
Reporting
Standards
(IFFS) whereas Deposit
Money Banks that the
CBN is supervising have
complied with this national

\]Â&#x20AC;gV\]X]WMOZVW^]OÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;s
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Undoubtedly, this laxity
on the part of our apex
bank, apart from calling
to question its capacity
for
proper
corporate
governance, is capable of
sending wrong signals
to both domestic and
international investors on
the state of the Nigerian
economy.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(B) the provisions of
the
Memorandum
of
Understanding
(MOU)
signed by the CBN and
other Deposit Money Banks
on Banking Resolution
Sinking Fund have been
breached in a material
manner. For example, a
Board of Trustees (BOT) to
manage the Fund has not
c]]WO^_WZMVMgM][OZVW^]OÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2030;O
when it was established.
The CBN has however
continued to utilise the
Fund for certain operations
without approval of the
said BOT.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(C) contrary to section
34 (b) of the CBN Act
Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2030;xO dYV^YO q\_vV[]ZO MYNMO
the CBN shall not, except
as provided in Section
31 of the Act, inter alia,
purchase the shares of any
corporation of company,
unless an entity set up by
the approval or authority
of the Federal Government
OVWOÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2030;RON^Â&#x20AC;gV\][OxOq]\O
cent shares of International
Islamic
Management
Corporation of Malaysia to
MY]O MgW]O _bO Â&#x2030;sxÂ&#x2039;Â&#x192;O cV``V_WsO
This transaction was neither
brought to Mr. Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
N]WMV_WO W_\O dNZO NO c_N\[O
approval obtained before it
was entered into.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(D) the CBN has failed
or refused to implement the
provisions of the Personal
Income Tax (Amendment)
^MO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2030;xsO ^^_\[VWk`jO MY]O
Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE)
[][g^MV_WZO _bO VMZO ZMN*O N\]O
still being computed in
accordance with the defunct
Personal Income Tax Act
Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2039;RO MYgZO ]*]^MVv]`jO
NZZVZMVWkO VMZO ZMN*O M_O ]vN[]O
tax despite the generous
wage package in the CBN,
relative to other sectors of
the economy.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;(E) the CBN had an
additional brought forward
to General Reserve Fund
_bO Â&#x160;Â?sÂ&#x2030;Â&#x192;Â&#x160;O cV``V_WO VWO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;O
but proceeded on a voyage
of indefensible expenses
VWO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;O ^YN\N^M]\VZ][O cjO
inexplicable increases in

some heads of expenditure
during the year.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Examples include: 1. The
bank spent N3.086 billion
on â&#x20AC;&#x153;promotional activitiesâ&#x20AC;?
VWO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;O PgqO b\_XO Â&#x160;sÂ&#x2030;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2039;O
cV``V_WO VWO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x160;QsO Y]O cNWpO
spent this sum even when
it is not in competition with
any other institution in
Nigeria;
}Â&#x2026;sO Y]O O ^`NVX][O M_O
YNv]O ]|q]W[][O Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;sÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2026;O
billion on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Legal and
\_b]ZZV_WN`O ]]ZzO VWO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x160;O
beyond all reasonable
standards of prudence and
accountability;
â&#x20AC;&#x153;3. Between expenses
on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Private Guardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lunch for Policemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the
CBN claimed to have spent
Â&#x160;sÂ&#x2026;Â&#x201E;xOcV``V_WOVWOÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;Ă O
â&#x20AC;&#x153;4. While Section 6(3)(c) of
MY]OO^MOÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2030;xOq\_vV[]ZO
that the board of the CBN is
to make recommendations
to Mr. President on the
rate of renumeration to
Auditors, the bank has
consistently observed this
provision in breach and
even went to the extent of
changing one of the Joint
External Auditors without
W_MVbjVWkO MY]O _A^]O _bO MY]O
President.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;5. In the explanations
_*]\][O cjO MY]O O
pursuant to presidential
[V\]^MVv]ZRO VMO _*]\][O NO
breakdown of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Currency
ZZg]O |q]WZ]ZzO b_\O Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x160;O
NW[O Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x2026;sO WM]\]ZMVWk`jRO
it claimed to have paid
Â&#x192;Â&#x2020;sÂ&#x2026;Â&#x192;Â&#x192;O cV``V_WO M_O MY]O
Nigerian Security Printing
and Minting. Company
VXVM][O PQO VWO Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x160;O
for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Printing of Banknotes.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
Paradoxically
however,
VWO MY]O ZNX]O Â&#x2026;Â&#x2030;Â&#x160;Â&#x160;RO O
reported a total turnover
_bO Â&#x2026;Â&#x152;sÂ&#x192;xÂ&#x2030;O cV``V_WO b_\O
all its transactions with
all clients (including the
CBN).
}Â?sO MO VZO ZVkWVw^NWMO M_O
note that the external
audit revealed balances of
sundry foreign currencies
without physical stock of
foreign currencies in the
O
]N[OA^]s
â&#x20AC;&#x153;And
Questionable
d\VM]Â&#x2C6;_*O _bO Â&#x2039;Â&#x2030;O cV``V_WO
loans of a bank. The above
issues are only a few of the
infractions highlighted by
the review and which point
to the gross incompetence
and recklessness which
characterised
the
operations of the CBN in
the period under review.

Reps in rowdy session over CBN Govâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suspension
Continued from page 4

B

ut Senator BabajideOmoworare
(APC,
Osun East), in
his
reaction
to Sanusiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suspension
in a chat with journalists yesterday, said the
presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action was illegal and contrary to the
provisions of the CBN
Act which prevents him
from doing so, except in
the case of outright sack
of CBN governor which,

however, must be presented to the Senate for
two third majority approval.
Omowarare,
who
[V[O W_MO Zq]^Vw^N``jO
mentioned the relevant
provisions of the Act
that
disempowered
the
president
from
suspending
a
CBN
governor, added that the
presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action was
an act of ambushing a
needed whistle blower
_gMO _bO _A^]O VWO vV]dO _bO

shocking revelations on
mismanagement of oil
proceeds by Sanusi .
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Democracy is not
about ambushing, but the
presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action today
on the suspension of
Sanusi is like ambushing
democracy,
by
not
following the rule of law.
The President has no
power to do so going by
the provisions of the CBN
Act. Thus, his action, as
far as I am concerned
and I know as far as law

abiding Nigerians are
concerned, is illegal.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sanusi, no doubt, has
been the crown witness
VWO MY]O XN]\O _bO N``]k][O
mismanagement
of
Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil proceeds
M_O MY]O MgW]O _bO Â&#x17D;Â&#x2039;Â&#x152;sÂ&#x2020;O
billion
within
the
last two years which
made his suspension
very uncomfortable to
Nigerians at this time
and her strategic foreign
partners,â&#x20AC;? the senator
said.